


High Card

by SinningShipper



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Murder, Porn With Plot, Romance, in which sakuma and miyoshi must act as lovers to flush out a serial killer, investigating unsavory murders, mentions of rape and pedophlia, mentions of some dark historic facts about japan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 12:42:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 80,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6804943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinningShipper/pseuds/SinningShipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The serial murders of military men with deviant sexualities threatens to cause scandal and dishonor to the integrity of the Japanese Imperial Army. However, Lt. Col. Yuuki believes there is more to the string of deaths than it seems, and calls for all members of D-Agency to investigate what truly lies behind it.</p><p>In the midst of it Sakuma, alongside Miyoshi, must act as bait for the mastermind behind the murders, in a charade that threatens to reveal more about himself to the spy than he can afford to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The wake was more solemn than those usually were. And the attendance lower than it should be, even with the sudden downpour.

Sakuma paid his respects to the family and the coffin of his former academy classmate before leaving. None of the people in the paltry attendance questioned his quick retreat; most were family, and they were already surprised he’d shown up at all.

On the way out, he caught the eye of the few former classmates that had also come. All of them respected members of society. The rest that weren't present were cowards worried they’d be judged by mere association with the deceased, or people with similar secrets to hide.

As far as he knew, Sakuma was the only one of the latter that had dared to come. Then again, before finding out about the murder and the situation surrounding it, he hadn’t thought the man had similar...issues to his own.

He’d been a close comrade of the man for the duration of his academy years and hadn’t even suspected it, yet a nameless serial killer had somehow found out and caught the man in one if his immoral acts, as society dubbed them.

Sakuma considered himself to be perceptive, and it galled him that this had escaped him.

Outside, the rain poured harder than before. Sakuma grimaced; he’d been forced to come to the wake directly from duty, and so hadn’t had an umbrella with him. And now he’d have to walk to D-Agency in the rain.

Normally he’d have no qualms about it, as his military training had forced him to undergo worse conditions, but he owned few suits and D-Agency forced him to use them constantly. If this one got ruined, he’d have to go buy another quickly.

Before he could step out from under the roof, a figure that had been leaning on the gates further off, under an umbrella’s protection, began walking towards him. Sakuma stiffened in surprise, recognizing the rare color of the person’s suit before he even saw their face.

“Lieutenant,” Miyoshi’s greeted when he was close enough, and the umbrella was extended to cover Sakuma as the man drew close enough to fit both of them under it. “You’ll ruin that suit.”

“Thank you. Let me hold it for you, at least.” Sakuma said, thankful yet instantly wary about Miyoshi’s presence.

“It isn’t necessary.” Miyoshi assured him, and began walking. “How was the wake?”

 _Mostly empty._ “As expected.” Sakuma didn’t bother asking how he'd known about it.

“Will you be going to the other victim’s funeral? There’s still time.”

Sakuma fisted his hands at that. “No.” he denied empathically.

Miyoshi glanced at him for a moment before turning his eyes ahead. “Why not? He used to be one of your superior officers, I believe.”

Sakuma gritted his teeth. “I refuse to pay my respects to a man caught…” he struggled to even say it, “doing such things to a _child_.”

Miyoshi arched one eyebrow. “And yet, you pay respects to the one caught with another man.”

“It’s different, they were both adults.”

“What a surprising opinion for a loyal subject of the Imperial Army to have.”

Sakuma couldn’t tell if he wasn’t being mocked, but he assumed so. “I’m hardly that loyal,” he pointed out.

“So is this opinion acquired recently, after you decided to become our double spy?”

“I’m not-” Sakuma swallowed his practiced rebuttal. He couldn’t deny that he’d become just that since secretly accepting the invitation to become a member of D-Agency while still acting as a simple liaison between them and the General Staff Office.

His bosses weren’t suspicious, and Lt. Col. Yuuki’s training so far had been considerably light, to allow him to continue with his duties as if nothing had changed.

“I suppose I am,” he conceded. Then asked, “And what’s your opinion on the subject?”

He had purposely avoided Miyoshi’s question; he feared the more they focused on him regarding this matter, the more chances the spy would become suspicious of him. If he wasn’t already.

Miyoshi must have caught the change of subject, but didn’t comment on it. “I find it ironic,” he replied with a rueful smile.

“Ironic?”

“Were you aware that Japan’s current stance and definition of what consists immoral and deviant sexual behavior began inwith the Meiji Era?”

“Yes. An older acquaintance mentioned it to me once.”

Miyoshi’s smile grew slightly wider, and Sakuma assumed he hadn’t expected him to know at all.

“Good. This view came from foreigners, and was slowly taken in by Japan, no doubt in an attempt to appeal to the rest of the world. And now, with the pressure on a higher nativity rate due to the war, the opinion on such acts has only worsened considerably. Before the Meiji Era, lying with a man or dressing as a woman were even common practices.”

He chuckled. “We condemn people based on views acquired from the countries we are at war with. And now military now faces scandal and dishonor based on it.”

Sakuma frowned. “I wouldn’t go so far. Two incidents here, and a few others scattered in other cities wouldn’t make this such a threat to the integrity of-” Sakuma stopped himself when he noticed the look in Miyoshi’s eyes. “…there are more victims of this serial killing of military deviants than has been reported, aren’t there?”

“Yes.”

Sakuma wanted to ask for details, but Miyoshi asked a question of his own before he had time to.

“Even if you don’tsee homosexuality as much of an abomination as others do, surely you must realize the dangers of being associated with such?”

Sakuma managed to stop himself from flinching. “Yes,” he replied curtly. _More so than you think_.

“And you still risked personal dishonor to pay your respects?”

Of course Sakuma had been aware of the risks. Especially since any accusations of such towards his person wouldn’t be untrue.

The last person he needed knowing that was Miyoshi.

“Yes, I knew it might lead to such comments but I couldn’t allow him the shame of an empty wake. He was a good man, and he served Japan faithfully,” Sakuma explained truthfully.

“Foolish. Regardless if there’s an afterlife or not, why would the dead care for what the living do?”

Not wanting to enter a debate about it, Sakuma ignored the question.

“Why were you in this area to begin with?” he asked instead.

“I was at the funeral.”

Sakuma glanced in surprise at Miyoshi, who continued to face straight ahead.

He couldn’t imagine the spy doing such a thing for sentimental reasons, and he had only a minute before suggested he knew of more deaths… “Is D-Agency investigating these murders?”

Miyoshi didn’t reply, and they reached a fork in the road. Before Sakuma could insist on getting an answer, he turned towards D-Agency, and nearly got drenched when Miyoshi didn’t follow, instead halting in his tracks.

Sakuma looked at him questioningly, and Miyoshi pointed at the other direction.

“We might have to part ways: I’m meeting the others. You’re welcome to join us, but if you prefer to go to headquarters, I’m afraid you’re going to have to brave the rain.” His smile had an edge to it. “But it _would_ be such a pity if you ruined that suit after coming all this way.”

Sakuma silently cursed. “You set me up so I’d be forced to go with you. Why?”

Miyoshi shrugged. “I wanted to see how much you despised being around us.”

“…I’ll admit my opinion of…” he glanced around, and despite there being no one near them, lowered his voice, “espionage was…extremely retrograde and shallow initially. But I’ve learned to reconsider it, else I wouldn’t be where I am.”

“And yet, you still refuse my invitations.”

“Last week I needed to report to my superiors.”

“And right after Gordon’s case?”

“I also needed to report, as well as see to some matters beforehand.”

“And my first invitation? You simply stayed at headquarters then, what was your excuse?”

 _My opinion of the eight of you had been the lowest possible, then._ Sakuma was certain Miyoshi knew, but he didn’t want to give in so easily. “I…was unused to the lack of curfew.”

Miyoshi chuckled. “That’s not such a bad excuse. We’ll make a good liar out of you yet. But what will be your pretext today?”

Meeting with the eight now was the last thing Sakuma could do. He was tired and emotionally drained from the murder and the details surrounding it. Worse, he was sure his opinion on it would be called for again. He was in no state of mind to spend an hour with spies. They’d read him like a book or humiliate him completely. Likely both.

Moreover, it galled him to have been pushed into it. Sakuma didn’t dislike Miyoshi’s attempts to include him in their outings and games, even if he had no doubt that was motivated by something other than kindness, but not when done like _this_.

“Right now, I simply don’t feel like going.”

“You’ll brave this rain out of stubbornness?”

“I suppose. However, it was impolite of me to refuse the invitations, so I’ll go next time, if you’ll still have me.”

Standing close to fit under the umbrella, Miyoshi just looked at him calculatingly, and Sakuma wondered if he’d manage to retain Miyoshi’s opinion of him, or if he’d been lowered again.

“…We’ll go out to dinner tomorrow.”

“I’ll go,” Sakuma promised, not looking forward to it at all, but at least it’d give him a day to sort out his thoughts. “I’m surprised you won’t meet tonight, you usually do.”

“We’ll be busy, that’s why we’re meeting right now.”

“I see. I apologize if I made you late for nothing.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

 _That you were late, or that it wasn’t for nothing?_ Miyoshi didn’t give Sakuma time to ask, instead wordlessly turning his back to him and walking in the direction he’d pointed.

Despite being immediately drenched, Sakuma didn’t begin walking too. Instead he watched Miyoshi’s figure until it was out of sight before finally going his own way.

*

Sakuma found D-Agency empty even of Lt. Col. Yuuki, which was rare.

He lay down on his bed, reflecting.

Going to the funeral had been dangerous; he hadn’t counted on anyone from D-Agency finding him there, simply because he never believed they spared him enough thought to pay attention to him, much less his whereabouts.

And of all the spies, it had to be _Miyoshi_. True, Miyoshi was the only one to invite Sakuma into their games, but that was likely to mock him, so he had never thought the spy would go out of his way to meet him simply to force him into going with them.

If Miyoshi managed to grasp that he liked men, not women…

Sakuma shuddered to think of what he'd do to him. There’d be blackmail, at _least_.

Hopefully, Miyoshi would believe the reasons he gave for his presence: solidarity for a former comrade that would surely find barely any, given the situation of death. It had been the truth, after all.

Better yet would be if Miyoshi disregarded the whole thing completely. Which was likely, since he’d clearly been there to gather intel.

 _What kind of information was he seeking at a pedophile’s funeral?_ Sakuma wished they had had more time to broach that subject.

_He didn’t confirm it, but clearly D-Agency is starting to investigate the murders. Did the General Staff Office order them to?_

It made sense. Not only were military personnel being killed, but each one murdered was revealed to have been into deviant behavior. Such dishonor in their own military in times of war was extremely perilous and demoralizing.

Sakuma could well imagine his superiors panicking and being forced to rely on D-Agency. Unlike the police, the spies could try and find and catch the killer in secrecy, making it easier to bury the story. Moreover, the police were barely pretending to investigate as it was; preferring to chalk it down to suicide than to risk uncovering more unpleasantness of that nature.

The thought made cold dread settle in his stomach. If D-Agency probed enough and found out about _him_ …

 _No, that’s too unlikely,_ Sakuma told himself. He hadn’t been active for some time now, the pressure from fear of repercussions from his superiors and peers had finally taken its toll and he’d stopped trying to have even one night affairs, much less relationships.

And being sent to work alongside spies had only served to further curb any desire of that nature.

Even so, if they could wring the information out of his few fellow comrades that had been on the same situation…

Sakuma stood from the bed and took up sitting on the floor in perfect posture to help steady his thoughts.

_There’s no point in worrying about what they may find about me, it’s out of my hands. More importantly, how has the serial killer found out about the victims?_

He could imagine the killer infiltrating a restaurant or bar people like that met, but to do so in three different cities, in a short span of time between murders, and do so six times...no, not only six, since there was more Sakuma didn’t know about.

_If they'd all been from the same military rank or city I could imagine, but the difference in location and station is complicated. Unless…_

Had the killer studied and decided on his targets before beforehand, and only began going after them when he had decided on all he’d go after? It would explain why the longest span of time between murders was a week.

Sakuma groaned: coming to that conclusion only served to disturb him further. If the killer had studied his targets much earlier on, Sakuma’s few comrades with similar taste could also be in danger. Sakuma didn’t think he himself was -he doubted the murdered would be attacking based on information from over a year ago- unless his friends revealed his name under duress before being killed.

His first instinct was to go warn them, but with the killer on the loose, contact might just endanger them more…

There was one old friend he could go to, however.

*

Sakuma had been bashful before, because of his newly grown hair, and now, wearing an old coat he had procured and mildly wet despite using an umbrella, it was even harder to look at Hanabishi’s proprietress in the eye.

Nonetheless, she still welcomed him in despite his bedraggled state, and offered him tea as usual.

“I apologize for taking your time so suddenly again,” he said apologetically.

The proprietress shook her head. “It’s always good to see you again. I can see whatever it is has been bothering you greatly, so please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

Sakuma sighed. “I’m afraid it isn’t a light subject. You’ve no doubt heard of the serial killings by now?”

Her expression grew somber immediately. “Yes. Such a horrific thing, I hope they catch the killer soon.”

 _I doubt it._ “Yes. Naturally, I initially didn’t think to worry about this establishment,” a true geisha establishment like Hanabishi had nothing sexual, much less deviant, about it, “but it occurred to me men with those tastes might seek company like this to unburden themselves. I’m worried that the killer might have sought this place for information.”

“You believe my girls might be spilling client’s utmost secrets to strangers.”

Sakuma flinched again and bowed his head in contrition. “I apologize, I don’t mean to-”

“It’s alright, I understand. Sadly, in every establishment there will always be those who are improper enough to reveal such things. Some maiko can be especially troublesome in that regard. However, that is a two edged blade.”

“Oh?”

“The ones willing to reveal anything to any client will divulge the same things to their peers, and I become aware of anything unusual. No client has come trying to pry information of that nature from my girls. That would be too unusual to go unnoticed, and I’d have heard about it by now.”

He sighed in relief. “I see, I’m glad to hear it. I didn’t want you to be embroiled in a possible investigation. I hope the deceased didn’t come here.”

At his words, the proprietress looked troubled. “They did not, however…”

“Yes?”

“My girls spoke with the ones from another establishment. The one found lying with a man was a regular there. Strangely, the girls insisted he only ever talked about a woman from his hometown and seemed deeply in love with her.”

“Could he have been lying to hide his true inclination?”

“The girls swear that it was real. But naturally, they could be attempting to salvage his image by saying such.”

Possible. And it was just as possible that the man had a taste for both sexes. Even so, the news disturbed Sakuma; it felt significant.

“Thank you for your time,” he said, standing up and bowing. “I’m relieved to hear you won’t be troubled.”

The proprietress moved closer as if to straighten the lapel of his coat and whispered, “And hopefully that’s not the only thing you’re relieved about.”

Sakuma blinked twice, and then smiled. “Not at all. The only one I ever told here was you, so I saw no reason to worry about myself.”

*

He only returned to the D-Agency much later, when the sun had just gone down. The rain had finally let up when he’d left Hanabishi and he’d chosen to calm his mind down by running for a while.

It had worked wonders, but now he was in a sorry state; sweating and rumpled. Rather than enter D-Agency through the front door, Sakuma took to the back one.

To his surprise, he found Odagiri, Miyoshi and Kaminaga just outside the door, leaning on the wall as if waiting for something.

They looked at him, clearly taking in his state. Sakuma silently cursed not simply entering through the front.

Odagiri’s face remained impassive, while Miyoshi and Kaminaga seemed amused.

“Were you out walking, Lieutenant?” Miyoshi asked.

“Running,” Sakuma replied dismissively, focusing on the fact that the three weren’t in their usual suits: all three wore no ties, and Kaminaga and Miyoshi had forgone their jackets.

Noticing his look, Kaminaga smiled thinly. “Do you like what you see?”

The question made him tense immediately, had he given himself away?

“I’m assuming there’s a reason for such slovenly appearances,” Sakuma replied through gritted teeth.

Before any of them could answer, the door opened and a young girl in kimono stepped out. Sakuma was too surprised to politely avoid staring, and for that reason, paid attention to the girl’s face long enough to recognize it.

“ _Jitsui?_ ”

Miyoshi and Kaminaga snickered, and Odagiri glanced at them with a slight frown. Jitsui, on the other hand, smiled slightly at Sakuma.

“Did I manage to fool you, Lieutenant?”

“I…”

“Do I look like a woman or like a man dressed as one?”

Sakuma gave him a look over. Between the wig and makeup, Sakuma doubted he’d have noticed it was Jitsui if he hadn’t been thrown by the presence of a woman in D-Agency.

“As...a girl, a young girl.”

“Is he pretty enough?” Kaminaga asked with amusement. “Would you request ‘her’ services?”

 _Services? Is he pretending to be a geisha?_ Sakuma glanced at Jitsui again. The obi was tied in front.

He stiffened and balled his hands into fists. “With that makeup he looks too young to be servicing _anyone_ other than-” he began, appalled, and finally it dawned on him, “...you’re going out to find _deviants_?”

“‘Find’ implies that we need to look at all,” drawled Hatano, now joining them from inside the building. Like Jitsui, he wore a kimono and makeup to make him seem much younger. But he wore no wig and was clearly male looking.

“Each of us eight will aim at a different focus group,” Odagiri finally supplied. “Not necessarily deviants alone.”

“Odagiri and I are going after women, for example,” Kaminaga added, and Sakuma had the impression he only said it to boast. He supposed it wasn't too surprising that the spies, no matter how versatile they had to be, had their own preferences. “And Hatano is aiming at anyone that takes an interest to him.”

Sakuma briefly scrunched his eyes shut and opened them again. “This is…”

“Normal, for a spy,” Miyoshi interrupted. “Of all the methods of intel gathering open to a spy, seduction is one of the best and safest option.”

Sakuma groaned and ignored the ensuing laughter. No doubt, they thought his main issue was the shamelessness of their antics. In truth, although it did bother him that they could be so relaxed about having to do such acts, Sakuma’s main trouble was thinking how, probably, they had been doing this for some time, perhaps going out and seducing people solely for practice before graduating from D-Agency.

If he hadn’t curbed his own proclivities, and avoided doing anything in this city for some time, he might have had once fallen prey to this. He tried focusing on something else.

 _So Miyoshi and and Jitsui are focused on men. But then…_ he turned to Jitsui, “With those clothes, there is one service that’ll be in the focus of any man that comes your way, how will you deal with it when they realize you aren’t a girl?”

“Why do you think they’ll notice anything wrong?” Hatano sneered. “Have you ever solicited such services to know that for a fact?”

“Hatano,” Odagiri shot him a warning look, but surprisingly it was Miyoshi who came to his aid.

“Don't be so harsh on the Lieutenant, Hatano,” he admonished, “That was a fair question.”

Jitsui looked at Miyoshi, as if studying him, before turning back to Sakuma.

“The easiest way is to ensure that they drink enough to pass out,” he explained, “so long as you leave things to suggest they did something they don’t recall, it’ll work out. And if they happen to be able to handle their alcohol…” his smile turned slightly amused, “there are substances you can add to their drinks that will knock them out.”

“I...see.”

“Don’t think that means we won’t have sex with anyone, if we have to,” Hatano added, and winked suggestively.

Sakuma closed his eyes again and carded a hand through his hair. “Do you have to be so _crass_ about it?”

“You’ll have to get used to hearing it being said so brazenly, I’m afraid.” Sakuma opened his eyes again to find that Miyoshi had walked up to stand in front of him. “Your training will see to that.”

“I can understand needing to use crude language if it’s for teaching purposes,” Sakuma shot back.

Miyoshi only smiled up at him and came closer, reaching out to grab his coat.

This close, it was impossible to not notice how Miyoshi’s waistcoat hugged his figure, or that he’d left his shirt open to reveal an indecent amount of collarbone.

_Whoever he’s aiming for, he’s going to succeed._

“Say, Lieutenant,” Miyoshi was saying, looking at his mischievously, “Why not try it out too?”

“You’re stepping out of line now,” Sakuma warned, removing Miyoshi’s hand and stepping back.

Miyoshi was unfazed. “Come now, Lieutenant, you’ll have to do this eventually, anyway. But don't worry; even now, there’s quite a lot of interest from both sexes for a military men of your physique..”

_I know there is._

He was spared the need to retort by Hatano, who said in a language Sakuma couldn't understand, “ _Está incluido, Miyoshi?_ ”

Whatever it was, it hit its mark. Miyoshi turned to Hatano with a cool expression Sakuma last recalled seeing when Miyoshi told him he’d just promised Sakuma’s suicide to Gordon.

“ _Qué?_ ”

“ _Sin peleas por el teniente_ ,” Odagiri interjected. Both men swivelled around to him with equally inscrutable expressions.

Whatever was going, Kaminaga was stifling a chuckle and even Jitsui’s mouth was twitching upwards.

“Hey now, why are you all still here?” called a new voice.

This time, Amari joined them from within. Like Odagiri, the only change to his attire was a removal of his tie.

“We were waiting for you,” Kaminaga lied blatantly. “Now, let’s go.”

If Amari knew he was being lied to, he gave no indication, instead turning to Sakuma.

“Lt. Col. Yuuki wants to see you.”

“I’ll go to him as soon as I’m presentable.”

“No, he said you should go to his office directly.”

Despite being slightly taken aback, Sakuma didn’t hesitate to say rushed goodbyes and get away from the presence of the spies.

He didn’t even hesitate in hiding that he had been doing some investigating of his own: the less interest they thought he had in the case, the better.

_Hopefully Lt. Col. Yuuki will soon dispatch them to deal with it elsewhere._

*

“What was going on when I arrived?” Amari asked as they distanced themselves from D-Agency, walking in the shadows of deserted streets to not be seen until they parted ways.

“I’d like to understand that myself,” Miyoshi said nonchalantly. “Hatano?”

Hands behind his head, Hatano shrugged. “I think what I said was clear enough.”

Miyoshi sighed and spared him a brief disparaging look before turning his attention to his nails. “You’re mistaking my tastes for your own. I have no interest in something as dull as a virgin, go ahead and take him if you wish it.”

“He’d probably want to cut off parts of me if I did,” Hatano contemplated. “It might be a little fun to see him try, but overall I can’t stand him, so I think I’ll pass. I’m surprised you aren't of the same mind anymore, Miyoshi.”

Miyoshi shrugged. “He-”

“-Impressed you, we know. Even Lt. Col. Yuuki does, by now.”

Miyoshi’s mouth curled in distaste. “If you know, I don't see the point of this. My impression of him was low enough to begin with that being impressed doesn't amount to much. And it certainly doesn't mean I’ve taken an interest in _that_ regard.” He sighed again. “If he wasn’t so ridiculously puritanical, then perhaps it might have been fun to try him out once at least.”

Hatano snickered. “The Lieutenant would have our heads if he heard us now. I don't see how he’ll get through our trainning; he’s too stringent in following the current definitions of morality.”

“I wouldn’t be quite so sure,” Miyoshi said.

“Because he figured out the code was behind the emperor’s portrait? I hardly think that counts in this case.”

 _No, it’s because he chose to risk his own image for the sake of honoring a deceased friend accused of homosexuality_ , Miyoshi thought. It had been stupid and pointless...but interesting.

However, he hadn’t mentioned his earlier conversation with Sakuma, or that they had met at all, to the others, and couldn’t be bothered to do so now.

“We’ll see,” he said instead. “If Lt. Col. Yuuki believes he has the potential to become one of us, then there’s a large chance the Lieutenant is capable of overcoming this.”

There was no answer to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Japan did indeed have a culture that accepted homosexual acts prior to the Meiji Era (1868 to 1912), but with globalization it soon took to western homophobic views.
> 
> *Maiko are apprentice geishas. Geishas were entertainers, not prostitutes.
> 
> *Although tying the obi in the front was not something prostitutes alone did, during WWII they were known to dress similarly to geisha but with the obi in that way, since they would be required to untie and tie it back alone.
> 
> *Translation of spanish text:  
> "Está incluido, Miyoshi?” - Are you included, Miyoshi?  
> “Qué?” - What?  
> “Sin peleas por el teniente,” - Don't fight over the Lieutenant
> 
> *High Card: the lowest type of Poker hand. It doesn't contain a pair, two pair, three of a kind, a straight, a flush, a full house, four of a kind, or a straight flush and so its ranking is determined solely on the basis of the greatest card value held.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakuma entered Lt. Col. Yuuki’s office to find the man with his back to the door, staring out the window.

“Sir,” he said, saluting, “my report-”

“No need, we have more immediate news to take care of.”

He stiffened; it had to be truly pressing for Lt. Col. Yuuki to act in a hurry.

“What do you know of the current deaths in the military?”

Sakuma didn't even wince at the subject; he hadn’t expected anything different. He noticed that the tabletop was strewn with all sorts of paper, and wondered if all of them were pertaining to this one case.

“Currently, six military men of different ranks have been found dead, three in Kyoto, one in Osaka and now two in Tokyo. Signs indicate they were murdered. Three of those men were found alongside other bodies.”

He paused. Lt. Col. Yuuki made no comment, so he ploughed on.

“The three additional bodies were of non-military personnel. Two were men and one was a young girl.” _Too young_.

“The crime scenes indicate that the three military men found with civilians had partaken in...sexual activities just before their deaths. As for the other three, two had been dressed up in female clothing and makeup they owned, despite not being married or in a relationship. The sixth one was found in an alley and the rumor is that he’d just left a geisha house after attempting to solicit a young boy’s service and been removed by the head geisha.”

“That has been confirmed.”

Sakuma waited to see if Lt. Col. Yuuki would say anything else and, when he didn’t, continued, finally nearing the end.

“The murder methods differed. Two were poisoned, one was strangled, three were stabbed and the other three were bound then had their throats cut. Despite the different locations, even between the crimes within the same cities, as well as different murder methods, it is believed this is the work of the same person. Someone going after those in the military with what is considered deviant sexual behavior, and any partners they may have at the moment they are found in.”

“And your thoughts on this?”

“Sir, I think it’s uncertain if this is truly the work of one person or not. There was sufficient time for one person to switch cities between murders. However, I think they happened too soon for someone to do so, observe the military in the new location, find a suitable target and act.”

“The killer has sent the Imperial Army a letter declaring war to all forms of deviants.”

“...I see. Even so, I believe the killer isn’t one person alone. They’re not trying to hide their authorship if they’ve even sent a letter to the Army, yet the methods are too different.”

“Anything else?” Lt. Col. Yuuki drummed his hand on the windowsill.

Sakuma hesitated. “Sir...is it possible that the men murdered were not deviants, and the evidence of such was staged?”

The fingers stilled and the man finally turned back to glance at Sakuma.

“Interesting suggestion, what prompted it?”

“I’ve spoken to an acquaintance. It seems the deceased allegedly with homosexual tendencies spoke often of a woman.”

“That could have been a farce to hide his true interests, or he simply liked both.”

“I considered that. However, there’s the possibility that the killer might be taking men of normal inclinations and framing them to justify the crimes.”

“And why would he do that?”

He thought back to Miyoshi’s words. “To bring scandal and dishonor to the Japanese Imperial Army.”

Lt. Col. Yuuki appraised him for a few moments before moving towards his desk and sitting down.

“You are partially correct,” he said eventually. “We’ve gathered that some of the victims did have an extensive hidden background of deviant behavior. Others, however, have no hint of it, save for whatever evidence they were found with in death.”

 _So my classmate wasn’t like me._ It made Sakuma angry, recalling the wake. It must have shown, because Lt. Col. Yuuki raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? This bothers you much, it seems.”

“How could it not? Faithful soldiers of our Army are being murdered and treated with the utmost dishonor for activities they didn't even commit! And the very Army they would have given their lives for is being threatened by this.”

“None of this would have been an issue if the Japanese simply ceased to treat such innocuous proclivities as crimes to begin with,” Lt. Col. Yuuki pointed out.

“I know,” Sakuma said bitterly before he could stop himself. Had Lt. Col. Yuuki’s gaze turned sharper? He tried to salvage the situation. “Dishonor should be focused on whatever harms our country.”

“Debatable,” Lt. Col. Yuuki said carefully, before glancing down and tidying up the documents before him. “Regardless, these murders are not solely motivated by a desire to discredit the Army.”

Sakuma’s brow creased. “What other reason is there?”

“The specifics are yet to be uncovered, and unearthing them, along with the perpetrators-”

_So there is more than one person doing this._

“-Will be D-Agency’s main focus from hereon, according to the General Staff Office.”

Sakuma wasn’t surprised. Even if all the murders were truly of deviants, the General Staff office would still want the killer caught to cease the Army’s humiliation. But if their shame was staged...all the more reason to end this as quickly as possible so that the Imperial Army could save face.

“Understood. Is there anything you would like me to report back to my superiors, sir?”

Lt. Col. Yuuki smiled thinly. “Sit down, Lieutenant.”

Sakuma didn’t move. To sit down on the presence of his superior was too much disrespect.

The man sighed at his hesitation. “What I am about to tell you will be quite unpleasant to take in, for a man of the Army. I suggest you sit down.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Sakuma said, squaring his shoulders and now standing to attention as stiffly as possible. “I think I can handle it standing up.”

“I suppose if you couldn't even do that, giving you this task would be foolhardy.”

Unease settled inside of him. “What task?”

“The first death happened in Kyoto, but the man wasn’t stationed there.”

Sakuma hadn’t known that. He waited.

“His name was Yamazaki Noriaki, and his rank was that of Captain. And he was, in fact, stationed in Matsue, in the Shimane Prefecture, and took an unscheduled leave to speak to his superior office at the Kyoto Branch. He was stabbed to death at night, on the same day he arrived, and his body was only discovered  two days later. Alongside him was a man which investigations quickly found to be a well-known male prostitute. He died from a stab wound to the throat,” Lt. Col. Yuuki’s mouth curled slightly in distaste. He took out what looked like a simple newspaper page from within the piles on his desk.

“Tazaki’s report, however, is quite different. He confirms that the civilian was indeed a prostitute, but that although many witnesses saw him the night of Noriaki’s murder, none of them saw the man near the prostitute, much less soliciting him.

“Moreover, the police left out the fact that the official forensic analysis reported that the prostitute was likely murdered over twenty four hours after Noriaki. It seems the police investigation simply considered that to mean the murderer took some time to decide what to do with the prostitute, before choosing to kill him as well. Incidentally, this is the case with the most time between the murders of two people found together. Anything to say, Lieutenant?”

“What about the other cases where more than one person was found?”

“There is indication that the civilian partner wasn’t murdered at the same time as the military victims, but the difference would be a few hours only. Since there are signs of torture, the police assume the murderer tortured the civilian for information before killing him too.”

“Why the civilian and not the military man?”

“They claim the killer must have assumed a civilian would be easier to pry information out of,” Lt. Col. Yuuki said, then looked at Sakuma as if waiting for something.

Sakuma considered the information _. Why would he need a whole day to torture a civilian? And why only the first one? But if the motive of the crime was staged, why did they take a day to procure a prostitute? Unless…_

“This Noriaki...could it be that he murdered for a reason and only afterwards the killer decided to disguise it as an act against deviants?”

“Yes. And it’ll be your job to uncover it.”

“I...sir?”

Lt. Col. Yuuki sighed again. “I would rather have chosen any of the others before you. Even if you have potential, without the training it’s foolish to give you this task.”

“Then why?”

“To swiftly cease these murders I’ll be scattering the members of D-Agency throughout Japan. However, the main focus must be what started all of this, which would be the city Noriaki was stationed. I suggested to the General Staff Office that one of this agency’s men be sent as Noriaki’s replacement, posing as one of the military. Do you know what they said?”

“If I’m to be sent, clearly they refused.”

“Your superior, Colonel Muto, was quite against allowing a spy to pose as one of their own, and even more adamant that no documents be forged for such. He then insisted that we could simply send you as his replacement, and have our spies go as civilians.”

 _This is his revenge for my behavior after Gordon’s case._ He clenched his fists tightly trying to contain his anger.

“I understand. I’ll go as his replacement and relay all information I gather to whoever you send with me, sir.”

“If that’s all you needed to do, I’d have suggested sending you to begin with.”

“...What else will you require of me?”

It could be his imagination, but for a moment it seemed as if amusement had glinted in Lt. Col. Yuuki’s eyes. “You’ll be pretending to be a homosexual.”

“...I...beg your pardon? Sir?”

“I’m not in the habit of repeating myself needlessly.”

Sakuma tried to fight the rising panic and think. “But... _why_? We’ve established the crimes are mostly staged so it’s not as if I need to be a deviant to be targeted. In fact, wouldn’t that make it more suspicious? For the replacement to coincidentally be one of the supposed targets?”

“I believe I’ve explained more than enough today. I don’t need to justify my reasoning to you. Reflect on this yourself, or ask the others for help.”

Years of military training helped keep him quiet and rooted in place, when all Sakuma wanted to do was yell, or storm out.

He stared at his superior. Was this on purpose? Had Lt. Col. Yuuki figured out his secret and was doing this to punish him? No, he couldn’t imagine the man risking such an operation for such a reason alone.

He set his jaw tightly. “Understood, sir. And how should I go about pretending to...enjoy such acts?”

“As was said, a member of D-Agency will go as well. They’ll pose as your civilian lover and decide how best to go through with the charade.”

 _I’m ruined._ Sakuma took a deep breath to steady himself. “As you wish. Who will it be?”

“You’ll decide that. You have until the day after tomorrow.”

“I understand that you believe you’ve explained more than enough today, but if I’m to make this choice, I’d like to know at least why I'm being given it to begin with.”

“Naturally. You need to choose based on which member you believe you’d manage to act as a lover with.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I understand your concern. However, I understand the gravity of the situation, and am willing-”

“You might be required to do more than simply act publicly affectionate,” Lt. Col. Yuuki interrupted. “We’ve gathered that in the cases where the murdered was truly a homosexual, they were currently active, and prone to visit brothels and other houses of ill repute where two men entering would be acceptable. Do you understand now?”

Sakuma hesitated, considering the options to avoid saying something foolish. Lt. Col. Yuuki clearly barely trusted him to act, he didn’t want the man questioning his intelligence as well.

“If the common denominator between them are the...places of ill repute they frequented with male partners, then no doubt we’d have to enter the same places to bait the murderer. Sir, you said this would require more than just acting affectionate, so I can only presume you mean will have to...pretend to do lascivious acts?”

Lt. Col. Yuuki barely nodded in return. “Yes, there will be that possibility. And it’s one thing to muster words of affection, but quite another to be willing to go further than that, especially with a sex you’re not interested in to begin with.”

Was there a small pause, or was Sakuma imagining it? Did Lt. Col. Yuuki somehow know, or was he reading the way Sakuma’s own body language tensed at the mention of his sexuality?

“The situation is treacherous as it is, and I will not have the whole operation compromised simply because you find your partner’s body too distasteful for pretense. Are we clear?”

Sakuma could recognize a cold tone of finality when he heard one. “Yes, sir,” he said and, aware Lt. Col. Yuuki preferred salutes to bows, bowed as a form of pettiness.

“We’re done here.”

“Sir, if I may, inquire, who-”

“They’re all equally capable in all skills this mission will require. It’s not your task to decide who is qualified for this, but to choose any of them based on your preferences alone.”

Sakuma bowed again, this time to hide his gritted teeth and left without another word.

*

Lt. Col. Yuuki watched Sakuma leave with amusement.

He knew, of course, what Sakuma’s true orientation was. He had done extensive research on his past the moment he’d been notified the Lieutenant was being sent as an envoy from the General Staff Office.

He’d been almost impressed with how Sakuma had managed to hide that side of him. And that had weighed on his decision to allow Sakuma to join D-Agency.

After all, only a fool would agree to it simply because the man had managed to figure out where the code was hidden.

No, between Sakuma’s skill in hiding his nature, as well as the mentality he must have acquired for being so while in the Army, along with the wit and interest in investigating he’d shown...together those made Lt. Col. Yuuki decide the man had potential to be a spy.

However, he wouldn’t reveal his own awareness of it needlessly. Moreover, he certainly hadn’t given Sakuma his role based solely on it. Naturally, that he was a homosexual to begin with helped make the decision, since otherwise Lt. Col. Yuuki  would never have risked sending a man with no training and a history of homophobic propaganda to act as one. No, he’d have found a way to bypass Muto’s demand if that were the case.

Still, as things, were, they’d still turn out according to his wishes. Sakuma would still do decently, especially with a member of D-Agency at his side to correct any shortcomings.

More importantly, it would be a good chance to test if the Lieutenant was willing to go through with D-Agency orders, no matter what they were.

*

It was hard not banging the door on the way out, and only years of military training kept him from it.

 _Bastard,_ he cursed silently. _What kind of thing is he forcing on me?_

Years of carefully pushing down his sexuality, of learning to blend in and ignore his own interests unless absolutely safe...all would be _ruined_.

He was no match for a spy, surely. If this mission took too long they would find out somehow, even if he had no interest in whoever he chose. They might pick up on gestures or knowledge...and they’d pick him apart, bit by bit, as painstakingly as possible when they did, for the pure enjoyment of watching him unravel.

It would be who _he_ chose.

The worst was that, by removing the need to choose based on skill, Lt. Col. Yuuki was forcing Sakuma to blatantly state to those men which of them he might find more pleasing. They’d start the task already mocking him for picking anyone. Not to mention, the pressure that would be, deciding which man to bring his downfall.

It barely even crossed his mind that one of them might take it in stride and leave him be. They weren’t his friends, and theirs was a nature of games, not kindness. At best, some might not be sadistic about it; only self-serving enough to blackmail Sakuma and mock him.

The one time he saw a man be found out….it had turned ugly, and it had been at the hands of his own _friends_.

Certainly it wasn’t impossible since the D-Agency seemed so flippant about sexual activity with whoever they needed to, but he mustn’t be so naive as to hope for that.

And the spies had already been amused taking apart his loyalty, and then watching him nearly commit suicide. Surely he’d find no kindness, or even solitary peace, from them.

He suppressed the urge to punch a wall; harming himself wouldn’t make it better, and the others would likely notice it.

 _Damn it all!_ He’d accepted that becoming a spy might mean forgoing his past, but never expected that it might come to light instead.

He’d have to act as homosexual for the mastermind, while trying to hide that he truly was one from a spy. How long would he manage to do that without failing or losing his mind?

And for what reason? _Why_ did he need to be a homosexual? The murders were staged, his sexuality shouldn’t really matter. On the contrary, wouldn’t it only make them more suspicious?

Confused, angry and fearful, Sakuma laid down, hoping for the brief respite sleep would give him.

*

It was as if he was the audience to a depraved play.

The man pawned at him like someone who had done this again and again but hadn’t learned from it. There was no finesse, much less an attempt to please as much as he was being pleasured. His hands searched for where to hold that would make himself feel better, and his body rubbed against Miyoshi’s in his own rhythm, not bothering to try and match with his partner for the night.

Money had been paying for the illusion that he was at all desirable. Tonight, the information Miyoshi wanted from him would ensure said illusion remained in place.

The man roughly pushed him against the wall, and Miyoshi gave out a flawless moan of desire, opening his legs with precision, turning his face just right and letting his arms circle the man’s back, grasping the shirt’s fabric with a tiny tremble as if he could barely stand up anymore, so gone in desire-

He felt detached about it. As it should be. Lt. Col. Yuuki had taught them the best spy was not the one who immersed themselves in the character, but the one who could keep their heads clear, far away from whatever their ‘character’ was doing or feeling. A person that lost themselves in their own charade would soon forget their objectives, and who they really should be.

Not there was much of their selves to begin with, since they were forced to let go of their identities before D-Agency. Whatever self was left was the very bare bones, perhaps: a mesh of logical thinking, skills, objectives and the last dredges of desire.

He knew, or at least had his suspicions, that some of the others wanted to experience a sense of losing themselves for the thrill of it. Miyoshi had no such inclinations. Especially since that last vestige of his self would have loathed this, if it hadn’t felt so disconnected to it right now. To be looked down at by such a pig, like nothing more than another lowly whore...it would have made his real self’s skin crawl, and the persona required the opposite.

This forced aloofness was, therefore, a blessing.

His partner ran out of breath and pulled away to breath. Miyoshi made sure to pant exaggeratedly as well.

The man was clearly nearing his end, and clearly intent on finishing it right on that very alley, if he could.

Miyoshi had no plans to risk diseases for information he could acquire elsewhere if he wanted to.

“Please,” his current persona stammered out, appropriately glassy eyed, “I don’t think I can keep myself standing much longer, my knees are feeling weak. Can we go somewhere?” He turned his head sideways, licking trembling lips. “I could make you feel even better…”

His words were hardly that convincing, but he knew they’d be enough; the man wasn’t young and likely would still prefer a more comfortable place, if given the excuse.

With a nod, the man placed a hand on his lover’s back -seemingly to guide him when clearly it was actually to palm at his ass- and began taking him to the nearest brothel.

“You’re beautiful,” the man said raggedly, and it sounded like the compliment was sincere.

Miyoshi was well aware his features were one of his strengths. Nonetheless, hearing other people acknowledge it always did make him feel more amicable. Another time, Miyoshi would have done something interesting with his hands as a prize, but he still needed to get information and the man was too far gone.

“You're too kind,” His current persona squeaked bashfully. “You must say that to all your admirers…”

*

Sleep refused to come to Sakuma. He couldn’t neglect his troubles enough to relax, too many questions and worries plaguing his mind.

After an indiscriminate amount of time had passed, he finally gave up.

 _Maybe a smoke and a drink will help_ , Sakuma decided, getting up. As he silently left the sleeping quarters he shared with the rest of the spies, he noticed some of them had come in and gone to sleep since he had lain down. He hadn’t noticed it.

It had been initially unnerving to think they could sneak into the room completely unnoticed. However, this was one thing he quickly accepted necessary for spies to be able to do and tried to get used to it.

Among the empty beds were the ones belonging to those he’d met earlier, leaving to gather information.

Images of what they might be doing came unbidden to his mind. Cursing quietly, Sakuma hurried his step to the kitchen-

-and found it already occupied.

Tazaki sat alone at a table, a deck of cards in front of him. He glanced up at Sakuma and gave him an impeccable smile.

“Lieutenant,” he nodded in greeting, “It’s rare to see you see you up at this hour, and not for a glass of water.”

 _How did-oh, I didn’t bring my usual water jar_. “I just felt like getting a quick smoke and a drink, I won’t stay around long,” Sakuma mumbled, going straight to the liquor cabinet.

“Are you sure that will be enough?” Tazaki asked nonchalantly, looking at facedown cards before him and turning one face up.

“What do you mean?” Sakuma asked warily, wondering if Tazaki was already aware of his predicament. He turned to the liquor again and found he was too tired to care what he was drinking, grabbing the nearest whisky bottle.

“You’re clearly frazzled, Lieutenant. Too much so.”

“Maybe I’m just surprised to see you here,” Sakuma shot back, looking for a clean glass; he wasn’t so far gone that he’s forgo propriety to the point of drinking straight out of the bottle in company. “Lt. Col. Yuuki mentioned intel you gathered elsewhere, I didn’t think you’d actually come back to give him that personally.”

“I’ll be given a new mission, so I had to come back regardless. And it is safer to relay information personally.”

That made Sakuma stop and look at him. “Are these people so dangerous you think even this is compromised?”

Tazaki flashed him a smile, and a rose briefly appeared in his hand before disappearing again. “An operation of this scope is hard to pull off, so we shouldn’t underestimate them until we know more. But no matter, you were already perturbed before you saw me, or you wouldn’t have come here to begin with.”

“Maybe,” Sakuma said carefully, finally filling a glass. “Do you want something?” He asked out of politeness alone, since he’d noticed the half empty bottle and glass on the table. When Tazaki confirmed his expectations by shaking his head, he downed the glass.

Tazaki had paused his activities all together now, looking at Sakuma.

“Please, join me at the table.” He gestured to the chair opposite where he was sitting. “Indulge in my hobby for a while and I’ll help with what’s preying on your mind, if I’m able to.”

“I don’t think...no, actually, there _is_ something you might be able figure out. Fine, I’ll take you up on that.”

Taking the bottle and glass, Sakuma sat down across from Tazaki like he’d indicated. It wasn’t a place he liked much: his back was to the entrance.

The spy began shuffling cards unhurriedly, so Sakuma took out his own cigarette and began looking around for matches.

“Let me help you with that,” Tazaki said, leaning forward. “I believe there’s are matches…here.” his hand reached out and procured a matchbox from behind Sakuma’s ear.

“...Thank you,” Sakuma said and Tazaki flashed him a brief smile.

“Now, please pay attention to this ball.”

There was now a small red ball on the table, and three small cups. One was placed over the ball.

“Please tell me where the ball is in after I’m done,” Tazaki asked, and began scrambling the three cups with speed.

When he was done, Sakuma pointed to one. “It’s this one.”

Tazaki smiled. “You have good eyes, Lieutenant.” he lifted the cup, it was empty.

Sakuma frowned slightly, “I don’t think I do, if I failed to get it right.”

“Not at all. You failed because you focused on the correct cup, but not the ball.”

“But the ball was inside the cup.”

“Was it?”

“...”

“Now, pick a card.”

Sakuma heard soft footsteps behind him. He turned around just in time to see Amari’s back passing by the doorway.

 _So, they’re coming back now_. He turned back to Tazaki and picked a card.

Time passed peacefully after that.

The combination of whisky and smoking was slowly taking the edge off Sakuma’s anxiety, and Tazaki’s magic tricks had an innocuous pattern to them; Sakuma would always lose. Another time he’d feel frustrated by it, but today a continuous loss at magic tricks was too shallow in comparison to what had kept him awake.

More spies came back, in the meanwhile. Sakuma stopped turning to look back to see who it was. None of them spoke, although judging by the way the footsteps halted for a second, more than one looked in on them before continuing.

 _That’s the fourth one,_ Sakuma thought as another set of footsteps faded away, _so only one of them is still out…_

His imagination began to wonder who, and what they might be doing, but he quickly shied away from that.

Sakuma sighed, deciding he might as well ask what he wanted now. “Tazaki, there was one thing you might be able to clarify for me.”

“Of course, I’ll do my best.”

 _No point in prolonging this any further_ , “I’m not sure if Lt. Col. Yuuki told you or not, but I’m going to participate in apprehending the serial killer.”

Fooling around with a deck of cards, Tazaki raised one eyebrow but didn’t look surprised. “I wasn’t aware of that, no.”

“Well, it’s not supposed to be a secret, so you’d have been told eventually. Anyway, my task will be to go to the town Noriaki worked as his replacement. And I’ll need to pretend to be a homosexual.”

At first it looked as if Tazaki had no reaction to that, as his face remained passive. The card he had been dealing with, however, slipped out of his hand.

Sakuma chuckled self-deprecatingly. “You didn’t expect that, did you? It’s fine, even I think I shouldn’t be suited for this. If it makes you feel any better, Lt. Col. Yuuki was forced to use me.”

Tazaki retrieved the errant card and his hands went back to working flawlessly. “...If he gave you that task, then he believed you could do it. If he thought you incapable, Lt. Col. Yuuki would have found a way around it by now.”

“I suppose. But regardless, what I don’t understand is why I need to pretend to be a homosexual. I feel like that will only make me seem suspicious.“

“Oh, how so?”

“Well, because they’ve been murdering sexual deviants-” Sakuma paused, realizing he was remembering it incorrectly. “Except that’s what they want people to think, since half the murders are only staged as such. So...by sending a homosexual In Noriaki’s place...is it so the mastermind thinks we fell for deviant nature of the victims, therefore, making said mastermind believe we're further from the truth than we truly are? Even if that’s it...wouldn’t it still be better to not alert that there’s someone onto him at all?”

Instead of answering, Tazaki extended his left hand, palm up, towards Sakuma. On it lay the small red ball. “Please watch.”

He fisted the hand and placed it on the table, where he opened it briefly before closing it again.

“What do I have in my hand?”

Sakuma blinked, hesitant, because the red ball was clearly on the table now, having slipped out when he opened his hand.

 _Is there something else in his hand then?_ His eyes turned towards the deck of cards. “Can I-”

“You can check the deck if you want.”

He reached for it and counted the cards. All were there. So unless Tazaki had brought out a new card for this trick, that wasn’t it. He looked at the closed hand but there was no hint of what was within peeking out.

After a minute, Sakuma sighed in defeat. “I give in. I’d say there’s nothing in your hand, but I know you must have an extra card or ball in it.”

Smiling, Tazaki opened his hand. It was empty.

“You were right in thinking there was nothing on it, you should have said it with more conviction.”

“Why? After all the tricks you’ve shown me, it’s only natural that I’d expect this to be one as-”

It finally dawned on him.

“So he _wants_ the mastermind to think I’m a trap, hence the need to make me act like a deviant of sorts. But _why_?”

“Lieutenant, is there something missing from your side?”

Sakuma looked down at the things on the table close to him. The nearly finished whiskey bottle was gone.

Before he could ask about it, Tazaki lifted his right hand; he was holding it.

“You were so intent on my left hand, you didn’t notice my right hand taking it.”

Sakuma considered it as he brought the cigarette to his lips one last time before putting it in the ashtray. “So...because the mastermind will assume a homosexual substitute to be a trap, he’ll focus on that and not elsewhere? Ah, if the mastermind is still in that town, someone else is doing the actual murders on his command. D-Agency will go after those people while I keep the person in charge too distracted to notice if you do anything to his underlings.”

Not everything made sense yet, but having at least that question answering took some weight off Sakuma’s mind. There was reason for forcing him into this role, at least.

“It seems that has appeased you,” Tazaki pointed out. “Good, I’m also satisfied for tonight, thank you for indulging me.”

Sakuma shrugged. “Same.” He watched Tazaki begin to gather his trinkets and looked to his own things; it was nearly time for him to go too. The cigarette was done, so he dumped the remaining contents of the bottle on the cup and stood up to throw it out.

He was doing so, with his back to the door, when Tazaki spoke, but not at him.

“I didn’t think you’d be coming back when you passed by earlier.”

“I needed to report to Lt. Col. Yuuki first,” a voice explained calmly, and Sakuma immediately stiffened. Both because he hadn’t heard any footsteps approaching this time, and because the voice belonged to-

He turned around. Miyoshi was leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. Impeccably dressed and calm as if he’d just gotten ready and not, in fact, come back from a night of debauchery.

His eyes focused on Miyoshi’s neck before he could stop himself; his collarbone was no longer exposed, his tie back on.

Miyoshi noticed his gaze and flashed him his usual thin smile. “Relieved to see me looking like an upstanding citizen again?”

“Surprised. I’d never have imagined someone coming back from a night of...those sort of activities looking tidier than when they left.”

Miyoshi shrugged. “Like I said, I had to go report what I found.”

 _So Lt. Col. Yuuki_ does _demand at least a modicum of decency when his subordinates meet with him. Good._

“It’s been a long day for me, I’m afraid I’m retiring now,” Tazaki said, now standing up and moving towards the door. “Thank you for participating in my hobby, Lieutenant.”

“Ah, well, thank you for helping me understand the situation.”

With a final nod in their direction, Tazaki left.

*

_Well now._

His late night practice had been fascinating tonight.

The Lieutenant had certainly shown promise; he’d been quite perceptive and more than once nearly beat Tazaki at his tricks. With sufficient training…

But more than that, to think the man, despite being barely a novice at D-Agency, to already be given such a prominent role…

Something was missing. Someone was keeping an ace up their sleeve; he couldn’t imagine Lt. Col. Yuuki truly putting Sakuma in such a role _alone_. Some detail was missing that Sakuma didn’t know, or did and had kept from Tazaki.

As if that wasn’t food for thought enough, Miyoshi had been the only one to come back after seeing them there. Was it nothing? Miyoshi had taken an interest in Sakuma from the start after all.

And judging by the lack of someone following him right now, Sakuma had chosen to stay behind with him.

A friendship between them would be...interesting to say the least. _If_ Miyoshi really had no other trap to lure Sakuma into, and if he survived the next mission.

Sakuma had drawn another card, time would tell if it was another Joker or an Ace.

*

“It seems you and Tazaki have grown closer,” Miyoshi said through half lidded eyes, still leaning against the door.

“I don’t think talking amicably counts as growing closer,” Sakuma snapped back, tension partially setting back on his shoulders now he was alone with Miyoshi.

“It’s certainly closer than not talking at all.”

Sakuma had no answer to that, and went back to throwing the empty bottle out.

“Are you also leaving, Lieutenant?”

 _Yes_ , is what he should have answered, immediately, but couldn’t quite manage to say. There was a glass he still needed to finish and even Miyoshi’s presence hadn’t quite ruined the serene atmosphere he’d managed to amass in the room. And there was also curiosity: Miyoshi had come back quickly, rather than wait until they were gone. Had he wanted company or simply not cared if he had it or not?

“I doubt you’d want my company.”

“I’m not the one that keeps refusing invitations.”

“...I intend to keep my promise and go with you tomor-” what time was it now? “Today. And I’m not leaving yet, I want to finish my glass first.”

If Miyoshi was surprised, he didn’t show it. “I’m glad,” he said mechanically, and finally moved from the entrance.

Sakuma watched, nonplussed, as instead of going to the bar, Miyoshi reached for a cupboard and took out a candle.

“Do you mind if we turn off the lights? I find it such a waste, to be here at this hour and not spend it in candlelight. It’s much more soothing.”

Sakuma stared at him. His thoughts must have been clear, because Miyoshi’s smile widened.

“Feel free to ask Tazaki or anyone else, they’ll assure you I do this often, and they do too. Tazaki likely only kept the lights on today because he wanted to pay more attention to his magic tricks.”

He wasn’t reassured yet. However, there had been something off about Miyoshi since he first came to the door. Even if his words were as sharp as always, his movements were more languid, less expressive.

 _Is he tired?_ Sakuma felt a slight guilt well up in him; regardless of what he thought of it, Miyoshi had been out working to find and stop serial murders.

“Do as you wish, do you want a drink?”

“No, I think I’ll simply finish whatever is in the glass Tazaki left behind.”

Sakuma scrunched his nose. “We really don’t have a glass shortage, you don’t need to use his.”

“Lieutenant, my mouth has been in worse places tonight than an used glass.”

Sakuma’s mind instantly tried to supply him with images of what Miyoshi meant. He shuddered.

The lights were turned off.

“Tell me, Lieutenant,” Miyoshi’s voice said, from the direction of the table, “is it the thought of two men engaging in such activities that bothers you so, or is it the acts in general?”

“Mainly, it’s how _vulgar_ you are about it.”

“Vulgar? I only said my mouth had been in worse places than this used glass. You’re the one who assumed I meant something depraved.”

“I read between the lines.”

There was the sound of a match being struck and the candle was finally lit, illuminating the table but not much else. Miyoshi sat where Tazaki had been.

Wanting to get it over with quickly, Sakuma joined him.

“Nearly all of you came back much sooner than I expected,” he said, and silently offered him one of his cigarettes.

Miyoshi blinked at the cigarette for a second before politely refusing. “Thank you, but i’ll pass. The faster a spy can acquire information, the better. And in this situation, we are forgotten more easily. My target barely made it to the brothel, he spilled everything I needed on the way there after some...incentive...and I simply knocked him out.”

 _You can’t have been that good with your mouth, if he was still so coherent._ Sakuma thought. Not that he believed that to be true, but he momentarily considered saying it to make a jab at Miyoshi.

 _How would he even react to it?_ Would he be offended enough to act out? Maybe he’d pin Sakuma to the chair and crawl between his legs to prove him wrong…

The whiskey, it seemed, hadn’t been enough to loosen his tongue or addle him, but had been sufficient to slacken the iron hold on his imagination. Or maybe it was the atmosphere; the darkened room and the flickering candlelight felt soothing, but also more intimate.

He felt the sudden need to calm himself again with one last cigarette, but Miyoshi distracted him by speaking.

“You mentioned Tazaki helped you understand something?”

 _Might as well get this over with now too,_ “I assume you know who Noriaki was. Lt. Col. Yuuki gave me the task of being his replacement while pretending to be a homosexual.”

To Sakuma’s disappointment, Miyoshi’s gaze remained impassive.

“Oh? You’re being given a task already? Congratulations, Lieutenant.” Miyoshi said, voice polite and mildly surprised despite the blank expression. “I suppose wrapping your head around such a role is why you’re up at this hour.”

It frustrated Sakuma for a minute, before he realized that, in fact, Miyoshi not being overly shocked he’d been given a task might mean he believed in Sakuma’s skill more than Tazaki had. Then again, he could simply have hidden his reaction better. That made more sense.

Miyoshi made no other comment, not even a remark about the role he’d play, which made Sakuma realize he was waiting for him to continue.

“I initially wondered why the need to act as homosexual,” Sakuma admitted, “Tazaki made me understand that. Although…”

“Yes?”

“Why...are we assuming the mastermind is still in Matsue?

Miyoshi was looking at him like he's actually interested. The candle light made his attention feel sharper. It was disconcerting Sakuma a little. He put the final cigarette in his mouth as Miyoshi replied to him.

“Hm, Lieutenant, I think this is another case where...”

Sakuma was reaching for the matches. He stopped, matchboxe held aloft, when he realized Miyoshi had paused. He turned his attention back to see Miyoshi lifting the candle towards him.

“...What we’re looking for might be closer than we think.”

“What do you mean?” Sakuma asked, meaning both the cryptic answer and the candle being held.

Miyoshi’s eyes seemed piercing now, surely due to the closeness to the light. He then stretched his hand until the candle was under Sakuma’s chin.

He then understood what Miyoshi wanted, but not why. Still, he decided there was no need to fight and leaned down, lighting his cigarette with the candle.

He took a long drawn out drag, while Miyoshi watched him with his head resting on his hands.

“Never mind,” Sakuma said eventually. “You clearly mean the answer is close. I’ll figure it out myself.”

“Good,” was all Miyoshi had to say, before taking a sip of Tazaki’s glass.

Conversation ceased after that, yet the silence was somehow cordial, without an edge to it, so Sakuma didn’t feel the need to break it. Sakuma let his mind go as he focused only on the sensation of the smoke he breathed in and out. Miyoshi, too, had his mind elsewhere, half lidded eyes looking far off as he leaned back into the chair.

Sakuma took his time, and by the time the cigarette was finally done, he could no longer say he was in a hurry to leave.

However, with Miyoshi, delaying it any longer couldn’t end well for him.

His body language must have given it away, because Miyoshi’s eyes immediately focused again and he straightened himself.

“Leaving?”

“Yes, I need to. I have to go to the General Staff office in the morning.” He wasn’t sure why he was explaining himself. It’s not as if he’d have risked staying even if he had no duty to attend to.

“I see. I suppose I’ll do the same in a minute or so.”

Sakuma stood up, glass in hand, and noticed Miyoshi’s own was also empty.

“I’ll take care of that for you,” he offered, and reached for the cup.

Miyoshi’s hand grabbed his wrist before he could. “That’s kind of you. First the cigarette and now this, why?”

“It’s only polite to-”

“I hope you aren’t pitying me, Lieutenant.” There was a subtle warning in his tone.

“...I’m not pitying you,” Sakuma said, but it wasn’t convincing enough, because Miyoshi didn’t move or slacken his hold. Sakuma sighed. “I’m not. If anything, I recognize that between us, you were the one who has just been doing some actual work. You might be tired; I’m making a gesture of goodwill by offering to do this small task for you.”

“...I suppose, if it’s you, that is plausible,” Miyoshi conceded after a moment.

Sakuma wondered if the spies never did each other small favors like this. No, he’d seen them do it. So did Miyoshi question the intentions of anyone he wasn’t used to, or was it just Sakuma, based on the contempt Sakuma had shown at first?

_I won’t apologize for it, not after what he nearly forced me into. If anything, my holding no grudge is my apology._

He tried reaching for the glass again, but Miyoshi’s hold only tightened.

“No, go ahead instead,” Miyoshi said. “If anything, it’s clear the one who had the most tiring day here is you. You seem to expect me to be emotionally or physically drained after doing sexual acts with a man, but I assure you it was dull and easy as it could be. Card games are more stimulating. And you were so gracious to offer you cigar and keep me company, it made my night not end in a frustratingly tedious note, at least.”

Sakuma hesitated but conceded. He tried to withdraw his arm and Miyoshi allowed it. “Very well, I don’t really want to fight over this. Thank you, I suppose,” he said, turning around and leaving. “Glad I was _amusing_ , at least.” He couldn’t quite take the bite out of that last part.

“I didn’t say you were.”

Those words only served to confuse him, so Sakuma mumbled a goodnight and fled back to their quarters.

The only empty beds belonged to Hatano and Miyoshi.

Lying down in his bed again, he was relieved to feel sleep quickly trying to claim him this time.

Tomorrow would be worse than today, so he could at least try to start it with the decent amount of sleep necessary.

His mind thought back to Miyoshi briefly again as his conscious faded. It wasn’t a good sign.

Regardless of how Lt. Col. Yuuki wanted him to make the choice, Sakuma would _not_ be choosing Miyoshi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It should be noted that I'll be using their names during ep01 and 02, for the sake of making things less confusing.
> 
> *The previews have all shown the characters in a dark environment, it’s more likely for the sake of aesthetics, but I decided to incorporate D-Agency lounging around in the darkness.
> 
> *On that note, Miyoshi offering to light Sakuma’s cigarette with a candle, despite there being a matchbox available, happens in the preview for episode 02. Of course, they were talking about the Gordon case in it, yet considering how events played out, that scene didn’t seem to fit the timeline, so I chose to incorporate it here as if it hadn’t happened yet.
> 
> *Hopefully the exposition won't have bored anyone too much.


	3. Chapter 3

_There are hands on him. They roam everywhere, blissfully caressing him._

_There is a mouth latched to the back his neck, licking and biting at the sensitive part just below his ear._

_There is another mouth kissing his own. Yet, somehow, it’s all the same person._

_“Where else do you want my mouth?” The mouth behind him asks, whispering in his ear._

_Abruptly, it ends._

_People tower over him, or maybe he’s simply small. They talk fast and harshly._

_He can’t discern their faces, or their words, but he knows who they are and knows this scene regardless._

_The talking decreases to whispers, and then it stops as they all turn and point to something over his head. He looks up._

_There’s a noose over his head._

No.

_“No?” The first person is back, in front of him, features formless except for piercing eyes. “Very well, Lieutenant. There are other ways to go about this, aren’t there?”_

_He feels his hands being moved and looks down to find the person forcing them into holding his short sword in front of him, naked blade pointing towards his stomach.”_

_He has no strength to fight the other’s grip._

_The blade is plunged into him._

*

Sakuma woke up with a sharp inhale.

_A nightmare._ With a small sigh, he realized how clammy his body felt. _I suppose I have time for a quick shower before reporting to the General Staff Office._

As quietly as possible -all other beds were occupied with sleeping spies- he padded his way to the showers and turned the water on cold.

Nightmares were common for him. Mostly they used to involve being captured by the enemy and Japan failing the war, though he was used to getting the odd ones about being found out too.

The first half of it, however, was unusual. Thankfully, his body hadn’t responded to it. It wouldn't have been a big deal in the Army; it was half expected, even. But in D-Agency…

He could see at least two of them offering to help him take care of it, smiling impudently at their own shamelessness.

Normally he didn’t...need to take care of himself too often. His mental attempts to bury, if not kill, any sort of desire, coupled with the strenuous exercises he used to be subjected to -or often volunteered for- helped. He’d end up going to bed too exhausted for dreams of any kind.

And when he did have those sort of dreams...they tended to be about sensation, devoid of any actual person in them.

Sakuma pursed his lips. It was too disrespectful, too dirty, to use someone’s image for his desires. To the point he usually couldn’t get off on it, much less dream, so ashamed that he was by it.

And yet the figure last night had felt...recognizable.

It wasn’t that he was surrounded by good looking men; there had been plenty of those in the Army as well. Maybe it was because the way the spies held themselves was entirely different. Military men were stoic and proper, while these ones were shameless and... sometimes subtly sensual. And with the mission he’d been giving, thinking of them like that had only increased.

At least he was sure his dislike and would keep any sort of physical attraction in check.

He turned the water off.

“Sakuma,” said a voice, and Sakuma jolted in surprise as he always did when the spies managed to sneak up on him. He turned around to find Amari extending a towel towards him. “You forgot this.”

Sakuma blinked at it, silently cursed and grabbed it quickly. In a surprising show of decency for D-Agency, Amari then turned around, allowing Sakuma to dry himself in moderate privacy.

“Thank you, I hadn’t realized I’d forgotten it.”

“Not to worry, your mind must be understandably preoccupied.”

Sakuma froze momentarily in the middle of drying himself and took a deep breath.

“Who-no, _when_ did you hear this?”

Amari glanced at him, looking mildly interested. “You were about to ask who told me. So more than one person knew? As for when, just now, after you left our quarters. Who did you tell?”

“First, tell me who told _you_ ,” Sakuma shot back. “And I thought you were all asleep.”

“We were. You woke us up.”

“Ah, I apologize for that, I thought I was being quiet as usual.”

“You always wake us up.” Amari didn’t look at all bothered by that fact. “It was a valiant effort on your part, though.” He moved out of the way so Sakuma could leave the shower and grab his clothes.

He must have noticed something on Sakuma’s face, because he added, “You aren’t that noisy, but we’re trained to notice these things.”

“I suppose. But I’ll try to make even less from now on. It must have been a bother waking up at this time every day.”

Amari’s grin turned genuine, and then he turned away again so Sakuma could get dressed. “Not at all. You’re so punctual, it’s impressive. Most of us have been using you as an alarm clock of sorts. Even if we don’t get up, you help give us a notion of what time it is without the usual mental exertion we have to do for that when we’re out of here.”

_I’m always being used somehow. But I suppose this fine._ “And here I thought I wouldn’t be missed at all when I left,” he said sardonically.

“And here I thought you wouldn’t care about being missed.”

“...You have a point,” Sakuma conceded, and changed the subject. “You’re dressed up, you didn’t do that just to bring me my towel.”

“Yes. I’m meeting someone soon and thought to pass the time bringing it to you.”

“At this hour?”

“She has an early train.”

_She?_ Sakuma wondered if this was a normal conquest of Amari’s, or an actual target. Likely the latter.

“I’m surprised Lieutenant, aren’t you curious who spread the news of your first mission?”

_So Gordon’s doesn’t count?_ “It’s not as if it was meant to be secret, so there’s no problem if they mentioned it to others. And I have an inkling on who it was.” _Tazaki seemed the quiet type, it had to be Miyoshi._

“...I see,” Amari said simply.

Nearly done now, Sakuma stared at his back; his posture and tone hadn't given anything away but…

“ _You_ want to know,” he realized. “It’s why you’re still here even though you’ve already kindly given me my towel.”

Amari shrugged lazily and turned around. “I can haphazard a guess, and since I still have some time left, I can afford to see if I’m right. Let’s see...the person who told us was Tazaki.”

Sakuma didn't bother to hide his surprise, and Amari smiled brightly.

“Surprised? So was the other one...Miyoshi?”

“I...how did figure it out?”

“Because from your reactions, you didn’t think Tazaki was the sort to talk about this, yet there was someone you felt would surely spread the information. Considering how people have acted towards you, it had to be either Hatano or Miyoshi.”

“So how did you eliminate Hatano?”

“I didn't think you two would sit down and chat.”

_But you thought I’d sit down and chat with Miyoshi?_ Well, he _had_ , but he thought it would at least be unexpected. His thoughts must have again been plain on his face, because Amari’s grin widened.

“I could see Miyoshi strong-arming you into a conversation, I doubted Hatano would bother. And between the two, Miyoshi is more likely to keep quiet about information.”

Sakuma gave him a small smile of his own. “Ah, I wouldn’t say I was forced into it,” he said, enjoying the mild look of surprise Amari gave him, “But it a good guess anyway. Thanks again for the towel.” He patted Amari’s arm as he passed him by, going back to their room.

Half the beds were empty now. Some were still asleep. Or pretending to, probably. Miyoshi walked out, carrying a change of clothes and his own towel, and Sakuma was infinitely grateful he was already done.

Then again, Sakuma couldn’t recall ever showering at the same time as him, or some of the other spies. Had it simply been a question of timing or-

It didn’t matter. It was better this way, in fact. Sakuma tidied his bed and began grabbing the last few items he needed before setting out.

Miyoshi came back in a hurry, looking clearly disgruntled.

“Lieutenant,” he said, and Sakuma was momentarily surprised by the slight urgency in his tone. “Can you afford to wait half an hour?”

“No, my meeting with Col. Muto is at-”

Miyoshi wasn’t listening. “I thought so,” he mumbled, already turning towards one of the sleeping occupants in the room. “Hatano, show him out.”

Hatano immediately sat up. He was in his sleeping clothes, but clearly awake and alert. “What’s going on?”

“Amari’s woman is here.”

“I’m sure the Lieutenant can see himself out-”

“ _Hatano._ ”

“Fine.” His tone was nonchalant, but Sakuma had the impression he was slightly wary of Miyoshi. Hatano walked past Sakuma and opened the window.

“Follow me, Lieutenant.”

Sakuma blinked, “Excuse me?”

Instead of answering, Hatano jumped on the window sill, and then disappeared outside.

Curious rather than worried, Sakuma went to the window and stuck his head out. Looking sideways, he saw Hatano braced against the outer wall, feet and hands holding onto cracks in it.

“Well? Hurry up. Please tell me you can at least do this.”

“Learning to leave a second floor room through the window isn’t something the military deemed necessary,” Sakuma replied through gritted teeth, but nonetheless tried following.

“Just pay attention to where my hands and feet are and follow me,” Hatano said, and moved over to a next set of depressions on the wall.

Hesitant at first, Sakuma gingerly reached out his hand to where he’d see Hatano’s a moment before. Surprisingly, although he couldn’t see any major flaws on the wall, his hand found a more than adequate hold.

More confident, he also moved his feet and again found a decent hollow on it.

“I didn't realize our wall was so cracked,” he said as he slowly followed Hatano.

“Good, you weren't supposed to. We put these here and then masked them. They can’t be seen unless you know where to expect them.

_That explains why they’re so convenient._ “What’s going on? What does this have to with a woman?”

Hatano made a low sound of annoyance at the back of his throat. “I was in the room the whole time, but as things stand I’m assuming she must have come here without an invitation and insisted to be led inside. Since you couldn’t afford to wait half an hour for Amari to get her to leave, here we are.”

“An _unaccompanied_ woman came this _early_ in the morning, _uninvited_ , to a _man’s_ quarters and _insisted_ on being brought inside?” Sakuma didn’t even bother to hide how scandalized he was.

Hatano snickered. “She moves between cities as a salesperson for female clothing and claims to be a retired prostitute. In truth, she’s seeking new clients and labor for a chain of whore houses specializing in ‘rarer’ tastes. _Propriety_ is the last thing on her mind. And she’s been elusive as it is, I doubt Amari could risk denying her. Kaminaga will never let him live this failure down.”

Hatano finally reached a pipe and slid down it. Relieved he was finally doing something his military training had him used to, Sakuma followed with ease.

“I hope you memorized that, because next time you’ll be doing it alone.”

Sakuma ignored the remark. “Why did I need to hide from her? Since she’s connect to that sort of activity, is she connected to the mastermind I’ll be bait for?”

Hatano put his hand behind his head, looking as if there was nothing amiss about being in his sleeping clothes outside after escaping through a window. “Probably. We’re not certain yet, but since she moves around a lot, there’s the risk of her meeting you elsewhere when you’re undercover as a…” he grinned widely, “ _homosexual_. Do you think you’ll manage that?”

“Lt. Col. Yuuki thinks I can, I don’t plan on making him be mistaken. Not with so much at stake.”

Hatano was regarding him seriously now. “Hm, he isn’t the only one that thinks you can do it, surprisingly. Still, it’d be fun to see you bumbling your way through it. Hopefully Lt. Col. Yuuki will send someone to keep an eye on you, it wouldn’t make sense for him not to.”

_Ah, so they don’t know that yet._ “I’m sure. Either way, thank you, I suppose, for showing me the way out, but I have to leave.”

“Do as you will.” Without another glance, Hatano numbly climbed back up the pipe.

Sakuma sighed, wondering if he would ever get used to this sort of morning.

He supposed it had at least helped shake off any last remnants of sleep, even if it had threatened to dirty his suit.

He walked to the General Staff Office on the brisk military pace he’d been taught, it was second nature to him by now, and helped focus his mind elsewhere since the way was so familiar.

_I can’t be so immature and avoid thinking about it. I need to pick one of them to be pretend to be my partner._

Actually choosing based on looks alone was, of course, inconceivable. And Lt. Col. Yuuki had already said they were all equally capable, so…

_It’s a choice I have to make based on who I assume will hurt me less._

Now, after a night of sleep, Sakuma felt calmer about it. He’d been panicking the night before, assuming he would be found out no matter what but now, reflecting, Sakuma thought that might not be so certain.

_So far, they think my misgivings are only out of disgust. If this mission doesn’t take too long, or we don’t have that much contact, I might manage to survive._

Yes, maybe things weren’t so lost after all. Even so, he’d still have to decide on someone considering the worst case scenario.

Miyoshi was out of the question. And considering how he’d been acting, so was Hatano.

Amari, Tazaki and Odagiri might be his best options. Odagiri, especially, had been the one to reveal why he’d lost the night he thought he’d been playing poker, when in fact it had been the joker game.

And Tazaki had also been helpful the night before…

...Had he?

When thinking back on it, Tazaki hadn’t really done that much. He’d answered Sakuma’s question, but only so that he could get Sakuma to go along with his games. Moreover, in the end, Tazaki had simply gained privileged information before the others did.

_But how could he have assumed my worry was important? Ah, Lt. Col. Yuuki called me to his office earlier, and it’s not as if that was a secret. What if he’d known and simply assumed I was haunted by the news? And since I am still in the military, it wouldn’t be hard to suppose I might be troubled over their murder case…_

And Tazaki had spread the information as soon a she could. Granted, Sakuma himself said it wasn’t private, but _still_.

_He seemed kind, but in retrospect, all he did was in his favor._

Sakuma turned to Odagiri in his head. Had he gained anything from revealing the game to him that time? Sakuma couldn’t think of anything. Perhaps he was the ideal one, after all.

He sighed as he recalled his humiliation that night. He’d even been scolded by Lt. Col. Yuuki for making a scene.

_“If they hadn’t let you in on the secret, you wouldn’t even have thought to say such things.”_

That had been true. Why had he been so angry at even Odagiri at that time? Sakuma tried recalling his thoughts then, and remembered.

_I was angry because their conduct was cowardly. Odagiri told me, but only after I’d lost._

_Ah_. Thinking back on it, Odagiri too had let him be led, only revealing the charade _after_ Sakuma had been thoroughly played. And the others had been even worse, silent but likewise allowing Miyoshi to beat-

_No, not Miyoshi._ Miyoshi had invited him, true, but the game hadn’t been played with just him. They _all_ tricked him with their silence.

Dread settled on Sakuma’s stomach when it dawned on him that hadn’t been the only time, either. With Gordon it had been the same: Miyoshi set him up, but the rest obliged.

He’d never have nearly killed himself if only one of them had searched the Emperor’s Portrait.

Quiet, polite, in the shadows; they had all been humiliating and threatening his life in such a manner that rather than be wary, Sakuma had been slowly warming up to them. Miyoshi may have instigated, but they all enacted it flawlessly.

Could he really trust himself with any of them? He barely knew them, and now he realized how underhanded their actions had truly been. If they were affable to him now...what of it? Politeness and civility didn’t mean they couldn’t be cruel, or simply acting with a goal in mind.

For once, he missed his step and had to halt to gather himself. A decision was taking hold in his mind Sakuma could hardly believe possible.

Miyoshi might, in the end, be the best choice. He knew what Miyoshi was capable of, and how dangerous he was. With the others...they could be as bad as him, if not worse, but because they had hidden themselves in his shadow, Sakuma hadn’t even considered it.

With them, Sakuma might still fall for a trap and let his guard down again. That wouldn’t happen with Miyoshi; he’d always expect the worse, no matter how he tried acting. Moreover, he now had an inkling on how Miyoshi liked to act, unlike with the others.

_Better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t._

Still... _I don’t believe this. I’m sincerely considering Miyoshi._

Was his reasoning truly logical? Was he getting so worked up that he was making yet another mistake?

Or worse, were resurfacing desires addling his brain?

*

“Lieutenant Sakuma, at ease,” Col. Muto said.

“Sir,” Sakuma lowered his hand but remained stiffly in position.

“Has Lt. Col. Yuuki given you a mission?” There was a glint of glee in his eyes.

Sakuma made sure his face remained completely blank. “Yes, sir. I will be put in the position of a former Captain and gather information that might help cease the slaughter of our comrades.”

He studied his superior’s expression: Col. Muto barely reacted to his words. The man was hardly subtle; if he’d know that Sakuma would be posing as a homosexual, it’d be clear on his face, and he surely wouldn’t be able to contain himself and mention it.

_It seems Lt. Col. Yuuki at least spared me from my superior’s knowing. Doubtlessly he must have done so to avoid giving Col. Muto any more leverage over me, since he wants to use me himself._ Even so, it was relieving to know.

“That’s right, are you worried?” The hint of amusement was still there, however. Sakuma assumed this was indeed his payback for the Gordon incident. Either he hoped fear would teach Sakuma a lesson, or maybe he’d die while undercover.

Sakuma had no intention of giving him the pleasure of seeing either.

“No, sir,” he replied, still as stoic. “I’m proud to be able to be part of this mission. I will do everything in my power to catch the culprit responsible for the murder and dishonor of our comrades, and for forging such shame onto the Japanese Imperial Army.” he paused for a second, and decided to continue. “Please be at ease, though I know you have much to fear.”

“ _Excuse_ _me_?! What are you suggesting?”

“I’m doing no such thing, sir. It’s simply that since these crimes are not truly against deviants, only staged as such, anyone could be a target. Naturally, considering your importance, you would of course be worried for your own safety, sir.”

The man was sweating slightly now. _He hadn’t considered this possibility, now he’ll start worrying for his own life, good._

“I...well...that is...I’m more than capable of protecting myself, worry about your own skin!” He snapped, then tried to compose himself. “If you know what your mission is, there isn’t anything much to say. We’re already executing your transfer of duty. Luckily Captain Noriaki’s job wasn’t something only someone of his rank could do. Or so I’m told, this isn’t my department. You will, however, be meeting someone whose department it is as soon as you leave this room.” Col. Muto handed him a piece of paper with a name on it and an address.

“Understood sir.”

“Good. He’s the man who occupied the position before Captain Noriaki did. Go talk to him and try to absorb as much as you can, I don’t want you to fail at all. We need this man caught, do you understand?”

“Absolutely, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

When he left the office, Sakuma paused outside the closed door and listened. After a few seconds, he heard the sound of the door being locked. He smiled a little, and went to search for the man he was supposed to meet.

*

After asking around, Sakuma managed to discover the address happened to be the nearest upscale teahouse.

On the way, he paid attention to his surroundings, since it was near the General Staff Office and so more military men roamed the streets.

Had they always walked around so stiffly, looking so tense, or were the crimes already affecting morale?

_And they only think six murders happened…_

Sakuma didn’t want to imagine how things would become, when the general public began thinking maybe the Army was filled with deviants…

He hastily entered the teahouse and was escorted to a room where an old man waited.

“Mr. Murakami?” he said, bowing on the floor, “I’m Lieutenant Sakuma, I-”

“Yes, yes,” the man said dismissively. “I know why you’re here; please join me before the tea gets cold.”

Sakuma obliged.

“So, young man, you’re to substitute Captain Noriaki until they decide for a more permanent replacement?”

_Is that the official story? Someone should have informed me,_ Sakuma thought with mild irritation and made a noncommittal noise as he drank his tea, which Murakami took to be assent.

“I’m surprised the military needs so long to decide on such a thing. I suppose they’re busy worrying about these murders.”

“I suppose.”

“I’m glad, if that’s it.”

“Sir?”

“I hear the younger generations talking. Some think these deaths are good, as they cleanse the Army of dirt.”

“...”

“Foolish, back in my day we had more serious things to be disgusted about. But forget my ramblings, you’re here to know what to do?”

“I...yes, I very much need some guidance, sir.”

“Do you know anything about the city, Matsue, at all, young man?”

Sakuma flinched and ducked his head. “I apologize, I’m afraid I don’t. The news was rather sudden, I haven’t had time to research.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine. To put it bluntly, you don’t need to know much at all. The position is, by this point, simply a façade. A well-paying one.”

“Sir?”

“It’s not even a position that requires a military man. But the Army likes it. They either give it to high officers who want and deserve some simple and easy job somewhere, like me-”

“You’re also-”

“Was. I’m retired, so don’t apologize for calling me ‘Mr’, you weren’t wrong. Now, back to what I was saying, they also send troublesome officers they want out of the way for a while. Captain Noriaki was that type.”

“If I may be so bold as to ask, sir, what-”

“Paranoia. The man was starting to see conspiracies everywhere he went, and began neglecting his duty to unearth ones that didn’t even exist.”

_Maybe he searched for such a thing in Matsue, stumbled upon a real one, and this was why he was killed._

“They reasoned secluding him in that small place would be good for him. Or so they claimed. Truth is, since the job is so redundant, he could have free reign to ignore his work completely without bothering others.”

He chuckled. “I suppose the place did wonders to him, if he stopped being paranoid enough to be fine with soliciting a random prostitute. Hm, or maybe he needed that because he was too paranoid for a relationship?

“No matter. So you see, you’ll have no reasons to worry. Oh, you’ll probably have to report to the Kyoto overseeing branch, so that will help you out too. I’ll be there, if you need me.”

“That’s a relief to hear, but what exactly-”

“Oh, that’s right. Your job is Marina Manager.”

Sakuma blinked. “Is there a...military facility in the marina? Why is it under military control?”

“Like I said, because the Army wants it to be. The Army has these odd jobs scattered around, so they can send their men to. The marina there does have a military facility, but it’s practically abandoned and is only there as an excuse for keeping the job under the Army’s control. Here, this is for you.”

He handed Sakuma a briefcase.

“That has a compilation of the local history and your job overview, including some of the things Captain Noriaki oversaw in his brief term there.”

Hiding his sudden excitement, Sakuma ventured to ask, “Are there any personal notes of what he was doing? A diary maybe? For the sake of giving me more guidance?”

“No, we didn’t find anything like a diary or such.”

_Did he not write one, or was it taken?_

Curbing his disappointment, Sakuma bowed again. “Thank you for your time, sir. I’ll read these thoroughly.”

“Enjoy your stay there.”

*

Outside again, Sakuma found that it had started raining. This time, however, he’d come prepared and opened an umbrella.

“Ah, that’s going to be pointless. You’ll ruin your suit soon enough.”

Sakuma glanced sideways. Kaminaga was lounging against the wall under the protection of his own umbrella.

“Why?” Sakuma asked and realized he was feeling even more wary than with Miyoshi; Kaminaga never attempted to engage him.

The spy shrugged. “Because I was told to take you to your spy training for today, since the weather is cooperating. Well, there was no need to rain, but it’ll be even better with it.”

_This heavy rain is cooperating?_ “What kind of training will it be?”

“Oh, you’re going to be taught how to free yourself from various restraints.”

_That doesn’t sound…_ “And _where_ will I be learning this?”

Kaminaga smiled brightly. “On a secluded beach where the sea is turbulent. The bad weather should ensure the place is empty. You’ll be learning it _underwater_ , you see.”

*

“You’re actually _liking_ this,” Kaminaga said, disgruntled, a few hours later.

Sakuma, sprawled on the beach, trying to catch his breath and avoid thinking of the pain his wrists were in, and the cold, fought to reply. “What...makes you...think that?”

“You’re not glaring at him,” Kaminaga pointed to where, further off, Sakuma’s instructor was busy making knots to the rope, “Or complaining. And you’re doing everything very willingly despite nearly drowning-”

“I didn’t nearly-”

“You did.”

Sakuma found he was far too tired to muster anger. “I’m not used to having to swim with my arms tied up. Besides that, I think I’m doing decently. As for not complaining...I oversaw some of the physical training you all were subjected to, so I expected this sort of thing.”

“I remember. Some of us were quite annoyed with your stupid face back then. There was even talk of throwing you out to sea to join us.”

“Here I am now.”

“So you are. Do you realize why you had to have this abrupt training?”

“Matsue is a coastal city. Why are you still here Kaminaga?”

“Someone other than the instructor needs to watch over these kind of things, in case something goes awry one person alone can’t fix. That, and I was hoping to have some fun watching you flounder.”

“Do all of you find so much amusement in my discomfort?”

“You make it so easy. But not all of us; some don’t care about you either way and maybe M-” he paused. “Nevermind.”

_Some don’t care but were still fine with nearly killing me? I guess I am choosing Miyoshi after all._

Kaminaga waited and, when Sakuma said nothing nor moved, continued. “But this has turned out to be a bore. I suppose you would like this sort of straightforward thing, as opposed to what else you’ll be doing soon…”

“That’s right,” Sakuma said tiredly.

“Hm, most of them prefer mental challenges to physical ones.”

“And you?”

“Either is fine. Although...there’s also a certain mental extension, isn’t there, to try and rise above the physical pain. Something that forces me into that situation might be interesting, in a way.”

Before Sakuma could reply, the instructor called him again.

*

“I could still handle more,” Sakuma insisted an hour later, despite his muscles screaming at him.

“No, that was enough,” Kaminaga said with finality, half dragging Sakuma back through the now dark streets. “We can’t afford to have you catching a cold or worse, pulling a muscle, just as you’re about to be useful. Besides, we need those marks to heal,” he pointed to Sakuma’s chaffed wrists, then smiles gleefulçy. “Unless, of course, you’re planning to act like a homosexual with sadomasochistic tendencies.”

Sakuma didn’t attempt to hide his shudder at that, and Kaminaga laughed.

In truth, Sakuma had never even tried out such things. He’d always been ashamed enough as it was, doing sexual acts with another man, and the added depravity of sadomasochism would have been too much. Moreover, it’s not as if he’d ever trusted any of his brief lovers with tying him up, and was too distrustful to even _want_ it. And he certainly had never been interesting in doing the same for them.

He might, however, be inclined to tie up and certainly gag some of the D-Agency-

Sakuma was already regretting the end of the training. The five times he nearly drowned felt better than this.

Kaminaga wasn’t done speaking. “Do you know when you’ll be leaving for Matsue?”

“I wasn’t told, no.”

“I wonder what sort of training you will have time for. Ready to be taught how to act like a homosexual in hiding?”

_I’ve mastered that for a while now._ “I’ll...do my best to cast my misgivings aside for the sake of the mission.”

Kaminaga simply snickered.

*

If there was thing Sakuma was thankful for, it was that there were no limits to how many showers one could have during the day in D-Agency.

He collapsed in his bed despite his still damp hair, and couldn’t care less. His vision still swam with all the different techniques he’d been taught in less than a day, and his ears were still ringing.

“You’ll risk catching a cold like that,” someone said, and he felt fingers tug at his hair. “Not to mention, you’ll damage your hair and suit.”

With a sigh, Sakuma opened his eyes to find Miyoshi leaning in, examining a strand of Sakuma’s hair between his fingers.

“I don’t care about my hair,” Sakuma said, “And if I didn’t catch a cold this afternoon, I doubt I will anymore. But you have a point about the suit, especially since I have one less now...” He tried to not think about his ruined suit.

Seemingly satisfied, Miyoshi let go. “Very well, I’ll see you later, if you’re still awake.”

“See me…? Wait, are you leaving?”

“Oh yes, we’re going to our usual dinner.”

“The one I said I’d go? Alright, I-”

“You’re still going? Even though you have such a good excuse not to?”

Sakuma couldn’t decipher Miyoshi’s tone; it wasn’t as clearly mocking as usual, so he chose to ignore it. “I promised I’d go, so I’m going. And I’m not so far gone yet, I can handle much more.”

Now Miyoshi was clearly amused. “I certainly hope your endurance can match up to your obstinacy, or the evening won’t end well for you.”

Sakuma scowled, sitting up and straightening his clothes. “I was only going to lie down for five minutes. I was- _am_ in the Army, I’m used to grueling training.”

“If the Lieutenant says so. Your tie needs fixing, by the way, shall I help you with that?”

“No,” Sakuma said incisively, and straightened it quickly.

Miyoshi shrugged and made as if to leave the room, Sakuma followed.

On the bottom of the stairs were the rest of the spies, who all glanced at Sakuma and, in unison, turned their gazes to Miyoshi.

“The Lieutenant has decided to join us tonight,” Miyoshi said simply, and continued to walk past them.

“Glad you could join us tonight,” Jitsui said politely.

Sakuma mumbled an appropriate response and followed them. He could feel them pointedly not staring at him, but always turning to glance at Miyoshi. He supposed he couldn’t blame their hidden curiosity; he had hardly been acting like someone that felt like mingling.

It’s something Sakuma knew he had to rectify, if he was going to fully become one of them, but it was hard when the very way they acted and talked clashed with his own. For this to work properly, both sides would have to cede a little, but the spies clearly had no intention of changing themselves to make Sakuma’s transition easier. _He_ would have to make his way to them, there would be no meeting in the middle.

“Where are we going tonight?” Hatano asked.

“Have you gone to that high end club while I was gone?” Tazaki asked. Amari glanced at him apologetically.

“Yes, sorry. It’s where I picked up my current target, so we’ll have to avoid it for a while.”

“Speaking of her,” Kaminaga grinned widely, “considering this morning, I’d say _she_ picked _you_ up. Maybe we should request a change of plans and let me steal her from you.”

“Don’t be cruel,” Hatano said, “Amari isn’t used to seducing a woman without a child or pet.”

“Oh? Is she too _young_ for you, Amari?”

“Speaking of pets,” Miyoshi interrupted, “I don’t recall being informed we had acquired one, yet this morning I could swear I heard the meowls of a cat inside the kitchen.” He was looking squarely at Fukumoto.

Fukumoto shrugged. “You must have misheard, cats sometimes roam the premises. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“...I hope not.”

“Were your clothes fine despite dragging them against the wall?” Jitsui asked Sakuma.

“Ah, yes. Though they didn’t survive the afternoon.”

“They usually don’t.”

“I’m starting to see why the budget is never enough.”

“It should increase exponentially after this case.”

Sakuma didn’t doubt it. The General Staff office would surely be willing to pay in gold to cease the murders and dishonor to the Army.

They arrived at a two-story restaurant, and were led to a table next to the window on the second floor.

“Do you always come here?” Sakuma asked.

“No, we alternate,” Miyoshi explained. “It wouldn’t do to get too recognized anywhere.”

“I see.”

There was lull in the conversation when the waitress came to offer them the menu and take drink orders. However, Sakuma noticed how their facial expression never changed, even when she was out of earshot. _Is it to not seem suspicious in case someone is watching?_

“Lieutenant, now that we’re all gathered here,” Miyoshi began, and Sakuma automatically tensed at the way he smiled with his head resting on his hands. “We’ve been wondering about your mission. Are you up to answering questions?”

Sakuma couldn’t even accuse Miyoshi of having brought him here for this, since the man had invited him long before this was known. “...I doubt I’ll be able to answer anything, I’m sure you must know more than I do, since I haven’t been told any details yet, other than what I will be pretending to be.”

The waitress came back with the drinks.

“If the Lieutenant hasn’t been given specifics despite already knowing his role,” Jitsui said levelly when she left again, “Then our supposition from earlier was likely correct.”

“What supposition?” Sakuma asked, and realized he had instinctively turned to Miyoshi for an answer.

Thankfully, he obliged. “You’re too new to this, Lieutenant. You have little to no training yet. We found it strange that Lt. Col. Yuuki would send you alone for it, and assumed he might send one of us to shadow you. If he hasn’t given you precise instructions yet, he might be waiting until he decides on what this other person will be doing.”

Sakuma took inhaled deeply. He would rather not do this now, with all of them gathered like this, but he supposed if he didn’t tell them now and they found out later...they might not take it well.

“About that…” he nearly flinched when he felt all the gazes in the table focus on him. “You’re right. I’m not going alone. One of you will accompany me as my...” he gritted his teeth and willed himself to say it, “lover.”

“This is getting amusing,” Hatano, sitting next to Sakuma, said with a glint in his eyes. “So, Lt. Col. Yuuki is choosing who will be your partner?”

_Might as well get this over with in one go._ “No, he told me to choose.”

There was a disturbing pause, where it seemed liked no one else in the table was even breathing.

Then Sakuma felt something on his leg. He looked down; Hatano’s hand was resting on his thigh.

“You are _completely_ out of line,” he snarled, prying the hand away.

Hatano simply inched closer, looking at him through half lidded but intense eyes. “Oh, but _Sakuma_ ,” his tone was lower, and Sakuma hated to feel himself reacting to it, “Out of line is exactly what you and your lover will need to _be_.”

“Hatano has the right of it, even if he’s lacking in refinement,” Amari said, and Sakuma flinched when he realized the man’s hand was making soothing circles on his back, “If Lt. Col. Yuuki left it up to you, then he must want you to decide based on attraction.”

“This is probably why you came with us today, isn’t it?” Kaminaga pointed out. “To scout out who you want?”

“No.” Surprisingly, Miyoshi was the one to answer. He took a sip of his drink before explaining further. “He promised he’d come with us before Lt. Col. Yuuki gave him this role. Now, if you excuse me,” he stood up, “I’m finding the chatter a little too loud tonight, I think I’ll smoke outside.”

Sakuma watched, stunned, as Miyoshi simply left. He glanced at the table; the others were being their usual nonchalant selves, but Sakuma didn’t think they were very surprised by it.

Hatano brought a hand to Sakuma’s chin and turned his head to face him.

“So, who are your top choices so far?”

Sakuma swatted the hand away angrily.

“Are you being this crass about it, and in public no less, to avoid being chosen?” Sakuma hissed “Because if so, just tell me. This will be bad enough without having to deal with someone that dislikes the position as much as I do.”

_Ah. Miyoshi._

“...I think I’ll take my leave,” he said, and stood up quickly, in case they tried to stop him.

*

“You went quite overboard, Hatano,” Odagiri said with reproach when Sakuma was gone. Hatano shrugged.

“He was never going to pick me, so I thought I’d have some fun riling him up.”

“Are you disappointed you won’t be chosen?” Jitsui asked.

“Of course. This would be fun. Not to mention, getting him to cooperate with such acts is going to be a challenge, and I like those,” he smiled as he said it, but quickly sobered up. “I can’t believe he is going to pick Miyoshi though.”

“Yes, he definitely left to go after him,” Kaminaga mused. “I certainly didn’t expect that.”

For once, Fukumoto gave his input. “He didn’t deny it when Amari suggested he was told to choose based on attraction. Could he have simply obeyed Lt. Col. Yuuki and chosen in that manner?”

“I don’t think he’s _that_ foolish.” Amari said.

“Or suicidal,” Hatano added.

Tazaki smiled thinly. “I don’t see Miyoshi playing any more tricks on him.”

“And he isn’t Miyoshi’s type.”

“That only means Miyoshi wouldn’t pursue him normally. Since he’s taken an interest in the Lieutenant, he might still provoke him to entertain himself.”

“I doubt it’ll be anything much if he does, being chosen should mollify him.”

“Only if he’s chosen for his looks. And we’ve just established even the Lieutenant cannot be so stupid.”

“Not to mention, he’s clearly very homophobic. To actually consider men in that way might be too hard for him. The chances that he chose based on some other criteria are high.”

“And yet, we can’t seem to figure out what that is.”

“Maybe Miyoshi’s attention so far has made the Lieutenant think he’ll be the most civil to him?”

“Makes sense...if he’s completely forgotten the Gordon incident.”

“He doesn’t seem at all bothered about that, however. Could be that even he realizes Miyoshi won’t be doing anymore...drastic tricks like that on him.”

“The Lieutenant can’t know that if even we aren’t sure if he will or not. But maybe he believes that to be it.”

“Have you all not paid any attention to how he acts around Miyoshi? He always tenses like he expects a stab in the back.”

“Maybe he has masochist tendencies, and enjoys the thought of the pain Miyoshi will give him.”

“Come now, Jitsui, this is a serious discussion.”

“That was a serious suggestion. He could have repressed kinks, after all.”

“What if this is revenge for the Gordon incident?”

“Revenge?”

“Yes, maybe he believes he will be able to dictate what Miyoshi does, since he’ll be acting as his lover, and hopes to humiliate him as payback for what he did before.”

“...There are easier forms of suicide.”

They noticed the waitress approaching and turned the talk towards the weather until she left.

“Gentlemen,” Tazaki said, “shall we do our usual entertainment?”

“Placing bets? What are we betting on, his motivation for choosing Miyoshi?”

“I suggest bets on if Miyoshi will be screwing him figuratively or literally.”

“Let’s not become so vulgar.”

“This whole _case_ is vulgar, is the Lieutenant rubbing off on you?”

“I think Miyoshi might not do anything to him at all. He seems to be more civil ever since he was impressed. If the Lieutenant behaves-”

“You think the Lieutenant will behave when Miyoshi demands that they kiss in some darkened alley for the sake of any voyeur?”

“...Point taken. I bet he lasts a week.”

Odagiri, who had been staring out the window, stood up.

“I think I’ll take my leave as well,” he said quietly.

Tazaki nodded. “Would you like to place your bet before you do?”

“Is gathering information allowed this time as well?”

There were shrugs around the table.

“In that case, I’ll place my bet later tonight.”

*

Leaving the restaurant, Sakuma found Miyoshi smoking just outside of it, leaning against a wall. He glanced at the second floor; Miyoshi’s position couldn’t be seen by their table. Sakuma approached him slowly.

“You left.”

Miyoshi took a slow drag of his cigarette before replying with indifference. “I have no intention of participating in the circus act they’re no doubt reenacting.”

“So you’d rather not be given this task?”

“A job is a job, feelings regardless.”

“Still, I don’t want to consider someone who will resent me if I choose them.”

The look Miyoshi shot him was dangerous. “You think I’d be so unprofessional as to let personal feelings affect my performance?”

“No, I don't think that at all.” Sakuma fisted his hands, feeling himself start getting frustrated. “I’m sure no matter what you think of me or anything else, you’ll still end up making a better job at this than I ever could.”

Miyoshi’s stance relaxed again. “Then what’s the issue?”

“Because this situation is hard enough for me without my partner being annoyed by it as well. And more importantly, I have the distinct impression that if you do resent being put in this position, you’ll find a way of getting back at me that doesn’t harm the mission’s objective.”

Miyoshi blinked then quickly put a hand over his mouth to muffle his fit of laughter.

“Oh yes, I would _certainly_ do that,” he said when he was composed again. “So if you’re aware, why bother asking for confirmation? No doubt you have someone else in mind already.”

“...No, I’m thinking of choosing you.”

Sakuma watched in silent, vindictive glee as for once Miyoshi was the one struck speechless. He tried to burn the image of Miyoshi’s openly surprised expression before it was replaced with the usual, carefully impassive one.

“Why?”

Sakuma shrugged and tried to act nonchalant. “Lt. Col. Yuuki told me to pick who I could at least find it pleasant to look at. Maybe you should consider this a compliment.”

“ _You_ should consider it a compliment that I assume you aren't unreasonable to the point of actually picking me for that reason alone,” Miyoshi shot back, then paused for a long drag. “Tell me the real reason.”

“I’m sticking to what I’ve said.”

Miyoshi silently studied his face for a moment, before rolling his shoulders. “Have it your way, I’ll pry it out of you eventually.” He chuckled. “It might make things more interesting for a day or two.”

Sakuma chose to ignore the implication he wouldn’t manage to keep it from the spy for more than that. “ _If_ you’re chosen, that is. I still need to know if it’ll bother you to be picked or not.”

“But Lieutenant, do you even trust a spy’s word enough to believe whatever I tell you?”

“I noticed that you have never lied to me. Omitted, yes, but not lied. I believe that you wouldn’t lie about your word for such a trivial thing. If not for honor, for the fact that if you lie to me now, I won’t trust anything you say again. Whereas if you tell me the truth now you can wait to lie to me over a more important matter.”

“You catch on to some things very quickly, Lieutenant. No wonder Lt. Col. Yuuki thought you’d be capable of reaching our level someday.” Miyoshi pushed himself off the wall and approached Sakuma, getting close enough to invade his personal space.

“Choose me if you want. I give you my word that I won't resent it, much less wish to punish you for it. I left the table because I don't care either way, and had no intention to beg -even as a joke- for the position.”

_If I’d chosen for looks alone, you still wouldn't have had to_. The thought came unbidden to Sakuma’s mind, and he hated himself for it.

His focus was forced back into the present when he realized Miyoshi was extending his cigarette to him.

“Here, you can smoke the rest of it.”

Sakuma didn’t bother to hide his disgust at the suggestion. “I don't want to share your used-”

“Oh, but Lieutenant,” there was an edge to Miyoshi’s tone Sakuma hadn’t heard before. It made his hair stand on end, and not necessarily in fear. “If you choose me, we’ll be sharing _much_ more than this.”

_Am I being tested?_ _Most_ _likely_. For a moment, Sakuma considered taking the proffered item directly from Miyoshi’s hands using his mouth, but discarded that idea almost immediately: the more reluctant and inexperienced he acted, the better for himself.

With that in mind, his hand reached out and took the cigarette. He made sure to pause and sigh clearly before then putting it in his mouth.

“One more thing, Lieutenant. I gave you my word I won’t seek retribution for being assigned this case. Be warned that my word doesn’t extend to anything else.”

“...I know.”

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Miyoshi backed away and left.

Sakuma watched him go, wondering if this wouldn’t be his biggest mistake yet. He then took a drag out of the half used cigarette before throwing it away.

“Lieutenant.”

He turned around: Odagiri stood at the door of the restaurant.

_This can’t end well._ “How long have you been there?”

“I’ve just arrived.”

Sakuma found it hard to believe the timing was a coincidence. He glanced at the restaurant’s second floor again; there really was no way their table view could catch the corner they were standing in. Therefore…

“You saw Miyoshi when he walked away just now.”

Odagiri nodded. Sakuma waited for him to say something else. He didn’t.

“I think I’ll call it a day. I’ll go tell them that,” Sakuma stated.

“There’s no need, they don’t expect you to come back.”

“...Because they think I ran off from their jokes?”

“No.”

“Fine, then. Goodnight, Oda-”

“I’ll go back with you.”

_So he does have something to say._ “Suit yourself.”

They walked side by side in silence for a while, and Sakuma began to wonder if maybe Odagiri didn't have anything to say after all, and was only assuming he needed an escort.

Finally, Odagiri spoke. “I’d like to make an exchange, Lieutenant.”

Sakuma hadn't been expecting that at all. “Of what?”

“Answer my question and I’ll answer one of yours.”

Wary but intrigued, Sakuma hesitated but agreed to it. “What’s your question then?”

“Why did you choose Miyoshi?”

Sakuma opened his mouth to point out Odagiri couldn’t possibly be certain he’d done that, but closed it again when he realized denying it was pointless.

He hesitated, should he truly admit to Odagiri’s face he couldn’t trust any of them? “Will my answer reach Miyoshi?”

“It will reach no one other than myself.”

Sakuma supposed he’d have to believe at least that, and told Odagiri his reason. For the first time, saw the spy smile.

_How much is he internally laughing at me right now?_

“Thank you for answering that, what will your question be, Lieutenant?”

Sakuma wished he’d had time to properly think one up. As it was, he went with the only one that came to mind at that moment, “How much of a mistake is this choice?”

Odagiri’s smile widened marginally.

“It’s a complicated situation,” he said after a pause. “There are some of us who would not rile you up as much as Miyoshi might. However, even if I were to tell you which ones, you’d still require a show of trust to choose them based on my word alone.”

Sakuma sighed. “Before, trusting my peers was the norm. We had to believe, and we did, that we could trust each other with even our lives.”

_But not, as it were, with our sexualities. Ah, maybe it was that contradiction that makes it possible to consider the spies’ views on things._

“This isn’t the Academy, or the Army,” Odagiri said lightly. “And it does you credit to understand that difference. You have no reason to trust us, and you recognize your own weakness when it comes to deceit. With that in mind, your decision was only logical.”

Sakuma’s shoulders sagged in relief; his reasoning was sound after all.

“Of course, that doesn’t answer your question,” Odagiri continued, and Sakuma looked at him in confusion. “Your reasoning being rational doesn't make it correct. Even if from your point of view choosing Miyoshi seems like the best choice, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is, and you simply lack the necessary information to understand that.”

“Then?”

Odagiri remained silent for a minute, as if carefully considering the answer.

“Miyoshi might not be the best choice, but I wouldn’t call it a mistake either. But not for the reasons you used.”

“What reasons are you thinking of?”

“I’m afraid that answer isn’t covered by your question.”

“...We can do another exchange, do you have another question?”

“No, I’m afraid,” The glint in Odagiri’s eyes told Sakuma the spy had been hoping he’d say that.

“Fine. Maybe another one will be curious enough to come to me, I’ll do an exchange with them too. As that how you usually do it? Trade information?”

“Yes. Or favors, when there is no information to be given.”

“I guess it makes sense for spies to act like that. I’ll learn eventually.”

“You will.”

They continued on in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I chose to stop identifying which spy was saying which after a while, as I thought it would be better that way. Assign the dialogue to whoever you feel fits it best.
> 
> *[According to the OVA](https://sinningshipper.tumblr.com/post/144671429889/joker-game-ova-synopsis), Miyoshi isn't fond of cats.
> 
> *Hopefully Sakuma's reason will sound logical to you readers too.


	4. Chapter 4

Sakuma woke up from another nightmare. He couldn’t remember it well, but it might have included the whole of D-Agency, watching as he hung himself.

He was fine with it; better this than the other sort of dream.

This time, as Sakuma left the room, he paid attention to the others. He thought he noticed some tensing a little, but overall he really couldn’t tell if they’d woken up or not.

He sat down in their leisure room and finally took out the documents Mr. Murakami had handed him the day before.

_Let’s see…_

An hour later, he understood why the man had been so certain the position was all but useless.

Matsue did have a port, but most potential business went to the larger and close by port of Sakaiminato, although it still did decently, especially with its nearness to the western continent.

Fishing was good in the region, thanks to the warm Tsukishima current that passed by, and it was also the means to reach the Oki islands. There was also a small note in the documents mentioning a ship graveyard.

Nothing of note, perhaps the port had nothing to do with their current troubles? Sakuma had assumed so, given Noriaki was tasked with taking care of it, but if the man was paranoid, maybe he stumbled upon something outside of his job.

As for the job...since the port was neither too busy nor dangerously slow, there was no need for much effort. More importantly, a list of staff and each one’s duties made it clear to Sakuma just why a Marina Manager was barely necessary: his underlings had every task covered between them, needing only the Manager’s approval for projects to get going. The position was truly only a figurehead to maintain the illusion that the army controlled proceedings. An ideal position to send complicated men to.

Knowing he really wouldn’t have to worry about running the Marina to the ground and could focus on his real task took a weight off Sakuma’s shoulder.

On the other hand, it bothered that he couldn’t see a single clue as to where he needed to begin. According to the documents, Noriaki had been there for eleven months, but Sakuma couldn’t afford to take that long.

_Maybe it’s something that’s only evident when I’m there. Certainly if the person behind this can create a crime of this scope, whatever Noriaki uncovered couldn’t be too obvious._

His soon to be underlings certainly didn’t seem suspicious from their files, although three weren’t natives to the town. Sakuma decided to pay special attention to them when he got there.

Wondering if he’d missed anything of note, Sakuma reached for the first file again-

He heard the door closing; sound louder than usual, as if done deliberately. Looking up, Sakuma saw Jitsui had come in.

“Lieutenant Sakuma, are you busy?” Jitsui asked politely.

“I’m done reading through the documents I was given, but I’ll reread them if there’s nothing else to do.”

“There is. I’m in charge of today’s lesson, and I’d like to get started now, before you’re sent to other duties.”

“I see. That's fine.”

“Then follow me to the classroom.”

 _So it’s not physical training today?_ Sakuma couldn’t decide if he was relieved or frustrated by it. His muscles were still slightly sore from yesterday, but he liked the thoughtless reprieve it’d given him.

He hastily put away the documents and followed Jitsui.

“What will it be today?”

“I’ll teach you ways to rig your things so that you’re able to know if someone has been through them.”

*

Jitsui turned out to be a good teacher, if only because he was patient and didn’t try to demean Sakuma even after the fifth time he failed to memorize the exact position a strand of hair had been on a book page.

“The string on the door lock and the special ink on the paper were easier methods,” he said, not managing to hide the slight exasperation he was now feeling. “Wouldn’t those be enough?”

“The string on the door and windows can be more easily noticed and put back accordingly,” Jitsui explained. It was another reason why he was a good teacher: despite being usually quiet, he didn’t hold back on explanations during the lesson. “And there are ways to enter a room without being too suspicious; such as acting like a landlady, or a police officer responding to a call, among other means. As for the ink, you might find yourself without it or the method to see it, whereas hair is something you’ll always have at hand no matter where you are.”

“I suppose.” Sakuma’s thumbs, unused to delicate work, had a hard time properly grasping the small hair strands. He sighed. “I’m too slow at learning this. Despite everything, I’m glad someone will be going along with me, I’m still too new.”

Even as he concentrated on placing the strand correctly, Sakuma could feel Jitsui looking at him intently.

“...Miyoshi will certainly be able to handle the situation,” Jitsui said eventually, with care. Sakuma managed to stop himself from wincing.

 _So they’ve all figured it out? I suppose I made it obvious when I went after him yesterday_. He said nothing.

“Lieutenant Sakuma,” Jitsui spoke again, tone now more friendly, which only made Sakuma wary. “May I propose a deal?”

“Does it involve us exchanging questions?”

Jitsui smiled. “So you’ve done this before. I want to know your reasons for choosing Miyoshi.”

_Are they all going to ask me that?_

Sakuma realized he didn’t mind it much if they knew his reasons. Ultimately, he was sure they’d look down at him for trusting them too much, or mock him for being too wary.

He did, however, hope none of the saw it as a challenge to try and trick him despite his misgivings.

“You can’t tell the answer to anyone.”

“That’s fine.”

“I’m keenly aware of what Miyoshi will do to me if I don’t take care. I’m not so certain about the rest of you, and might still be tricked into being too trusting.”

Jitsui chuckled, it didn’t sound mocking, however.

“Interesting reason. It’s not a bad one, by far. And your question?”

“I was told Miyoshi might not be the best choice, but isn’t a mistake, either. But not for the reasons I’m using.”

Jitsui inclined his head slightly. “Hm, yes, Odagiri was right.”

 _Of course he’d know who said it_. “My question is: what is it that makes Miyoshi not be a bad choice, then?”

“Are you aware that Miyoshi was impressed with how you handled the Gordon incident?”

“I’ve been told,” Sakuma said wryly. “But I doubt it means much, his expectations of me must have been abysmal to begin with.”

Jitsui’s smile grew slightly. “That’s normal for him. And no matter how low it was initially, it’s rare for him to be impressed. And because he was, he currently has no desire to bring you down-”

“I think you mean, no desire to kill me.”

Something flickered in Jitsui’s eyes before he shuttered his expression again, too quickly for Sakuma to make out. “He has no intention of bringing you down in any form, currently. Nor does he bear a grudge over your initial contempt for us.”

_Because I paid for that already._

“So unless you do something new to upset him, he won’t have any wish to see you fail.”

“I hope my reluctance towards deviant actions aren’t taken as a slight.”

“Only if you’re obtuse enough to let that compromise the mission.” For a second, Jitsui’s brows creased slightly. “Although considering your stance so far, I’d have checked to see what you’re capable of doing before your part effectively starts, to avoid unpleasant surprises midway. Miyoshi will likely do that too.”

“What I’m...capable of doing?” Sakuma didn’t like the sound of that. The blatant amusement in Jitsui’s expression only made his dread increase.

“How your acting is, of course.”

Sakuma opened his mouth to ask for specifics but changed his mind; it’s not as if he would avoid whatever test Miyoshi decided to put upon him.

It would have been more interesting, if it weren’t so terrifying and against everything he’d been taught, that the inability to easily have sexual relations with a man was being treated like an amusing flaw.

Even with his attraction to the sex, Sakuma couldn’t fathom the ease with which they accepted doing such things with anyone.

There was a knock on the door, and Amari entered.

“Lt. Col. Yuuki has summoned us.”

*

As they walked to Lt. Col. Yuuki’s office, Jitsui reflected on Sakuma’s earlier words.

_“I think you mean, no desire to kill me.”_

He’d confirmed something Jitsui and the others had been speculating on. Sakuma still hadn’t realized that-

More importantly, he was choosing Miyoshi with the mindset that the man had set him up for murder. And didn’t seem to hold a grudge against Miyoshi, although he clearly still feared for his life.

He’d have to change his bet when he got the chance.

*

When his men entered the room, it became immediately clear they knew what the summons would be about.

 _So_ , Lt. Col. Yuuki mused, _the Lieutenant told them everything._

“Lieutenant Sakuma,” he said, and saw the man stiffen like usually did when he was nervous, “I believe I ordered you to make a choice. I take it that you have done so?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Who do you choose as your partner on this mission?”

“...Miyoshi, sir.”

 _Well now,_ Lt. Col. Yuuki was mildly surprised; he had thought the chances of Miyoshi being chosen were rather low. But more importantly, from the little tells his men hadn’t managed to completely hide, they had all known about it. _Very interesting._

“Very well. You will depart the day after tomorrow. Finish your training with Jitsui then go to the General Staff office to fill out paperwork and learn of your accommodations there. Miyoshi, stay. Everyone else is dismissed.”

He waited as they all filed out. Miyoshi stood still, face blank.

“What are your thoughts on being chosen?” He asked when they were alone. Miyoshi shrugged.

“He didn’t make the choice based on attraction.”

 _Not consciously, at least._ “Do you know what he based it on, then?”

“I haven’t bothered to try and find out yet, as it doesn’t have any impact on the mission.”

“But you must have a guess, at least.”

“...Quite possibly, he may want revenge for his treatment during the Gordon incident.”

Miyoshi didn’t seem to certain of it. _Just as well, that would make no sense given Lieutenant’s careful personality. No, clearly he based this on his usual military view. He knows the danger Miyoshi poses, but is uncertain about the rest, so he’d rather deal with what he knows._

“No matter, are you able to handle this situation?”

For a spy, to be in the midst of people completely clueless as to his true self should be second nature. It would be more challenging to have to deal with an ally that knows who he truly is, but doesn’t have the sufficient training.

“I will.”

Lt. Col. Yuuki nodded. “Since you were already in this case, there’s nothing to say. You should know what to do, and I’ll leave it to your discretion how you and the Lieutenant should go about this.”

“Understood.”

“There is one new thing, however, I want you to pay attention to. I suppose it’s good he chose you, of all people, some of the others might be more gracious about this.”

“...Yes?”

“This case isn’t like the Gordon one. It will require a mindset the man might not have. The moment you notice that he is unable to see things as a spy should, report back to me and abort the operation.”

“Of course.”

“I’m not speaking solely about his stance on sexual acts, Miyoshi.”

Miyoshi looked briefly surprised. “I don’t understand.”

“You will, in time. From my understanding, the motivation behind these murders will prove to be interesting, to say the least. Of course, that means nothing, as the D-Agency should do what it’s been told to. There should be no personal feelings involved.”

“Of course. Ah, you fear the Lieutenant will disregard our orders if they clash with his personal view of things.”

“Yes. If he cannot cast sentiment aside, he is not suited for D-Agency.”

If Miyoshi was curious to know what this motivation was, that none of them had yet unearthed, he hid it.

“I understand. I will make sure the Lieutenant doesn’t jeopardize this in any form.”

*

 _It’s a good thing I told them everything beforehand,_ Sakuma decide later, when he sat down to eat before leaving for the General Staff Office.

None of the spies had made any comment after their brief meeting in Lt. Col. Yuuki’s office. Sakuma had the impression that, by not keeping the choice from them and thus surprising them at the last moment, he had escaped their annoyance. Although he had the impression he was being ignored. No, not ignored, per se, but silently studied from a distance. None had come asking about his choice, and Sakuma assumed it was because they wanted him alone for that.

He hadn’t seen Miyoshi since then, but didn’t think much of it, given he’d been sequestered at the classroom.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Miyoshi entered the room. He’d forgone his suit’s jacket again, and Sakuma didn’t think it was a good sign. He was carrying the briefcase Murakami had given Sakuma.

“Lieutenant,” Miyoshi said, approaching him, “Considering the brief time we have, I want to discuss how we’ll go through with our parts today.”

Sakuma nodded carefully. “I agree that that’s necessary.”

Miyoshi smiled brightly. “Good. When you’re finished at the General Staff Office, you and I will have a liaison at a restaurant.”

 _A liaison?_ He could almost feel the other spies in the room watching him from the corner of their eyes, and refrained from reacting. “We’re going to pretend before getting to the city?”

“You’ve read up on Matsue. Would you say it’s a large city?”

“Not very, no.”

“Is it a city that constantly has new people moving into?”

“I can’t say for certain, but what I read didn’t point to such.”

“In that case, new arrivals would be a little noticeable, correct?”

“I suppose.”

“So what do you think is more believable: a man that moved to the place and brought his lover a long, or two men that have just moved into the city meeting and starting such a clandestine relationship in little to no time?”

“You have a point,” Sakuma conceded, “So where and when is this...meeting?”

“ _Liaison_ ,” Miyoshi corrected with amusement, “The address is-”

 _It’s a respectable street, but near the Red Light District_ , Sakuma realized when he heard it.

“-and I’ll be waiting there for you. Come as soon as you’re finished at the General Staff Office.”

Sakuma frowned. “No.”

Disdain was clear on Miyoshi’s face. “Lieutenant, you can’t possibly-”

Sakuma held a hand up to stop the oncoming tirade. “I’m not complaining about the place or the mee- _liaison_.” His words were enough to stop Miyoshi, who looked mildly interested now. And he wasn’t the only one; sound had stilled around him as the others now paid closer attention while studiously avoiding looking at him. He took a deep breath.

“There’s no set time for my duties at the General Staff Office to end. That would mean you’d have to be waiting indefinitely, alone at a table, for me to show up. Just...it seems like a very _rude_ thing to do, having someone waiting in that situation.” Sakuma gritted his teeth. “Especially if we’re supposed to be more than friends.”

“...Not bad, Lieutenant,” Miyoshi agreed, smiling now. “Very well, we’ll do it your way. Go to that restaurant when you’re done in the General Staff Office.”

“And how are we going to meet up?”

“I’ll handle it,” Miyoshi replied and turned around and left again before Sakuma could ask him to explain himself.

*

“Leaving already, Miyoshi?” Hatano leaned against the room’s door, watching Miyoshi.

“There’s much I have to set up by tomorrow.”

“Oh, is this seeming difficult for you?”

“It’s certainly more of a challenge than anything Lt. Col. Yuuki handed me so far. Finally.”

“You’re lucky Sakuma put it in his mind to choose you, then, because leaving the dinner table yesterday made it seem like you wanted this in the least.”

“Oh, you know Miyoshi,” Kaminaga said with a smile, joining them. “As if his pride would allow him to ask for it.”

Miyoshi only looked blandly at them. “I don’t deny it. People that would bend over to be handed such a task are too desperate, I believe.”

“But is that all there is to your behavior last night?”

“What hidden motive do you think I had, Hatano?”

“Did you know he was going to choose you?”

“...No,” Miyoshi admitted and chuckled. “In fact, I didn’t think he would consider me at all.”

“Doesn’t it bother you, when he acts unexpectedly?”

“Hm? Of course not, it makes things less dull.”

“And here I thought your pride would have taken a hit.”

“I don’t pride myself in such little things.”

“So if you don’t know,” Kaminaga interrupted their conversation, “Do you have any idea?”

Miyoshi’s grin widened. “Why? Have you started a betting round on it?”

“Not on _that_ , exactly,” Kaminaga said, approaching Miyoshi, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “But I thought you might help. I would repay you of course.” The hand moved closer to Miyoshi’s neck, and the thumb caressed his collarbone.

“Now, now,” Hatano also came closer, circling Miyoshi’s back with his arm and holding him by the waist. “If we’re speaking of favors, I do believe I’m _owed_ one from two weeks ago.”

Miyoshi raised an eyebrow and looked at both with amusement. “This is rather new. What’s going on that’s making you two so antsy for information?”

“First tell us what you know.”

“That’s fine, since I’m afraid I don’t know why he chose me. I have my suspicions but I couldn’t be bothered to get him to talk. I’ll have enough time during the mission.”

With sighs, both men let go of him.

“Strange,” Kaminaga said, crossing his arms. “He’s apparently not withholding the reason, so I thought you’d know by now.”

“Oh? Who has he told it to?”

“Apparently, Odagiri and now Jitsui,” Hatano said, “since the former placed an interesting bet after speaking to him, and the latter has just now changed his.”

“And the bets are?”

“Depends, what are you offering?”

“I’ll tell you the chances of each one winning. Might even rig things in your favor, depending on them.”

Kaminaga pretended to look disappointed. “Is that all? I thought you’d offer something more…. _fun_.”

“I thought you preferred women, Kaminaga.”

“It’s so rare for you to do such things, I’d make an exception.”

“Sorry, but with this case, I’m faking it enough as it is.”

“Ah, but you wouldn’t be faking it if I were your partner.”

“If you think my standards are as low as your daily conquests, you are sorely mistaken.”

“There’s an easy way to find out how low their standards are, don’t you think?”

Hatano, who had been watching them intently, interrupted. “If you need an impartial spectator as a judge, I can help.”

“Oh please, we know how _impartial_ you can be.”

Before Hatano could reply, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. A moment later, Sakuma entered the room. He glanced at them, nodded briefly and grabbed his hat before exiting again with another brief nod.

Miyoshi sighed. “It’s a good thing you two weren’t latched to me anymore.”

Hatano frowned. “Why? Since when do you care?”

“I need him for this mission, I can’t have him becoming harder to deal with before we even get there. He’s barely containing his disgust at knowing we use our bodies for missions, imagine how he’ll react if he knows we do the same for recreation.”

“Didn’t he almost stumble on Fukumoto and Odagiri last week? That would have been hilarious.”

“Stop trying to mother him, Miyoshi. If he’s going to become one of us, he’ll have to at least be fine with it, if he can’t accept it.”

Kaminaga snorted. “As soon as he has to deal with more than a month of mounting sexual frustration and no one to turn to except your fellow spies and he’ll accept it quickly. It certainly worked for me.”

“Only because you didn’t mind such things to begin with. With the Lieutenant, a more emphatic push might be required…”

“Don’t,” Miyoshi chided. “I understand your annoyance with his ridiculous views, but we can’t coerce him into knowing such things yet. He might not handle it. This mission should force him to change his opinion, or break along with it. We’ll see how it goes after it’s done, for better or for worse.”

“If he succeeds this while becoming open minded we should give him a show as congratulation.”

“Do as you wish. Now, what were you betting on? I need to get going.”

“How long the poor Lieutenant survives before you have to teach him a lesson. I bet on a week, Kaminaga went with two.”

Miyoshi hesitated, looking mildly displeased. “If you put that based on me, don’t. I have no intention of actively seeking to put him in his place again. However, if you based on an assumption that he’ll step out of line with me and need the lesson, by all means keep it.”

“You’ve become too soft on him.”

“He’s mostly stopped acting like he’s better than us, and I recognize his present idiocy might need time -not trauma- to get fixed.” He paused, and admitted, “Though it _is_ fun to rile him, now and then. Anyway, what did Odagiri and Jitsui bet on?”

“He’ll get through the mission without you punishing him at all.”

“Hm, I’m sorry you two, but I hope they win. I’d like to be impressed again.”

“As you wish,” Hatano said, looking bored, “I just hope in your kindness you don’t forget to test just how far he’ll be able to act.”

Miyoshi leered. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ve already planned it.”

*

What still needed to be done in the General Staff Office proved simple, but long. Although Sakuma’s transfer to Matsue had already been decided and cleared, there were still formalities in the form of paperwork to get through, as well as details on the house they’d given him for the duration.

It would be Noriaki’s former house. Sakuma found that perfect; there might be clues to what he’d been investigating hidden somewhere.

Better still was when he had to see Col. Muto and noticed the guards outside his door, as well as his overly nervous attitude.

Even so, by the time he left the place it was already dark. Not sure what Miyoshi had planned, Sakuma decided to go along with his orders and simply go to the restaurant.

He didn’t take five steps outside the General Staff office grounds before seeing Miyoshi sitting on a bench, reading a book.

“What...why are you here?” He asked, confused, voice barely above a whisper since the area was decently crowded.

“I was waiting for you, of course.”

Sakuma hesitated. Had Miyoshi just spoken a little louder than usual? No, perhaps he was imagining it, because he had expected Miyoshi to reply quietly as well. He decided to speak normally too, even if not openly.

“I...thought we’d agreed that wasn’t necessary.”

“It wasn’t necessary, but I wanted to do it anyway.”

Miyoshi’s tone wasn’t the only thing Sakuma was picking up on; his expression was also different, somehow. More open and less sly.

_Is this part of his plan? Has it already begun?_

Unsure of how he should be acting, Sakuma chose to speak as little as possible until they were away from the public. “Then, let’s go.”

Thankfully Miyoshi didn’t speak on the way there, so Sakuma didn’t have to worry about how to act. However, in the silence he couldn’t help notice how different Miyoshi was carrying himself. He walked with his shoulders slightly slumped, and his expression remained seemingly open and tranquil.

At one point, Miyoshi noticed his gaze -or, most likely had been noticing it since the start- and turned to Sakuma, flashing him a smile with no edge to it.

Sakuma ducked his head and faced forward while Miyoshi chuckled beside him.

 _Is this his new charade?_ Sakuma was disconcerted by it, so used to Miyoshi’s haughty and closed off attitude.

They reached the restaurant and, after an offhand comment from Miyoshi about how pretty the flowers in the windowsill were, the waitress put them on a table next to the window.

_The glass is slightly darkened but we’d still be recognizable from outside, does he want to pay attention to the street? Are we being followed?_

“We aren’t being followed,” Miyoshi said when the waitress left with their orders.

“How-”

“Your face made it clear. Your eyes were darting everywhere.”

“So why were you acting since we met?”

“I’m glad you noticed that.” Miyoshi held up three fingers. “I was testing to see if you’d notice. Since I’m going to become this character in a while, I might as well start now and finally, I did it as a precaution.”

“Why the window seat?”

“Another precaution. If anyone decides to observe us, they’ll see us having dinner together at this restaurant.”

 _What if, rather than the enemy, one of his army acquaintances saw?_ Sakuma pushed the thought down. “Why would our target even be after us already? I’ve just filed the paperwork.”

“You made it legal and official today, but the decision had already been made prior to that. To the point you were already aware of it yesterday, and a man stationed in Kyoto was already here to hand you pertinent documents. There was sufficient time for the news to be leaked, especially since this assigned position was never supposed to be secret.”

“I see, so there’s a small chance the target might start seeking me out already.”

“Yes, although he won’t do anything to you until you become a threat. At most, you will be watched, likely starting tomorrow. Nonetheless, we cannot underestimate this person or their underlings, which is why rather than discuss the operation itself, I’ve decide to prioritize our act, for now. We’ll cover details of the city and your job when we’re on our way to Matsue.”

“I understand.”

“First and foremost: what will your housing be in Matsue?”

“Noriaki’s former house.”

Miyoshi looked pleased, but not surprised. “Good, i thought as much. I’ve studied the blueprint of the place, it’ll suffice.”

There was a pause as their meals arrived.

“Now,” Miyoshi resumed, “let’s go through our act. I’ve tried tailoring it to what will be easiest for you to enact, considering your lack of training and issues.”

Sakuma sighed. “I don’t want to be a liability-”

“And you won’t be, so long as you follow the role you’re given.”

“....I’ll do my best. How will we go about this, then?”

“I’ve decided you will be a homosexual hiding that from your peers.”

It was lucky he’d had no food in his mouth at that moment, or else Sakuma would have choked on it.

“And ah…” His mouth was dry. “How do I go about...pretending to be homosexual pretending to not be one?”

“Initially, you will have to barely act at all. You’ll act normally in general company but affectionate towards me when we’re alone. And should both of us be together in company, you’ll act tense, like you have done so far.”

“I do have one question.”

“If it’s by what you’ll need to do to demonstrate affection…” Miyoshi’s smile was dangerous, “We’ll talk it through later, we need to discuss character and background first.”

Sakuma glanced at Miyoshi’s lips and shuddered. If demonstrating affection meant not just holding hands or embraces, but kissing Miyoshi...he wasn’t sure if his self-control would hold out for long.

Miyoshi misunderstood his reaction for disgust and chuckled.

“That...wasn’t my question. Although I don’t want to go around declaring to people I’m supposedly a deviant, if we’re to hide it completely from the public, wouldn’t that turn the charade pointless?”

Before Miyoshi could reply, the answer came to Sakuma. “Wait, you think the target will be able to spy on us while we’re alone?”

Miyoshi nodded. “Initially, we’ll do simple things like rendezvous at empty beaches or parks at night and such. If I decide that isn’t enough, we’ll change tactics from there.”

This conversation was turning out ridiculously one sided. Despite it being Sakuma who the person would focus on, Miyoshi was deciding everything unilaterally. He wasn’t asking Sakuma’s opinion, but informing him of how things would go.

And Sakuma knew he couldn’t complain about it. Miyoshi was far superior in this game.

“Very well.”

“Good. Now, for character, pay attention as it’s very important that you remember all of this.”

Unconsciously, Sakuma stood up straighter.

“The normal procedure would be to give you a new name,” Miyoshi looked slightly exasperated, “but since your superiors insisted on using you and your background to avoid forging documents as much as possible, you’ll have to keep yours.”

“Is it that important to have another name? Apart from the need to avoid them tracing our real backgrounds?”

“Of course. It’s easier to conform to a new personality if you can disassociate all that you were before by taking a new name. Moreover, by connecting personalities and backgrounds to a name and then discarding it, it helps diminish resistance when changing oneself for each mission. For you, especially, such a thing would be have been helpful, as you could have distanced ‘Sakuma’ from the homosexual in hiding. As it is, you’ll have to learn to accept what you act as doesn’t become you.”

Sakuma swallowed the hysterical laughter that was threatening to come out.

“So, you will remain as Sakuma. As for character, we’ll keep your personality more or less the same, but I want you to act less enraged when people make deviant suggestions around you. Act disconcerted but don’t lash out. The ‘Sakuma’ for this mission will be a homosexual in hiding, but one who is still active sexually.”

“I see,” Sakuma managed to croak out.

“Moreover, will be a tad naive.”

“How does a naive homosexual survive the military?”

“Naive in matters of love. But I’ll get to it in a second. First of all, you must act content and relieved that you’re being sent to Matsue.”

“Relieved?”

“Yes, your character secretly fears the string of deviant murders might have reached you eventually, and since as far as everyone knows no murder has occurred in Matsue, you feel you will be safe there.”

“So when people ask me how I feel about the transfer, how should I reply?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, I’m supposed to be hiding my sexuality, so I can’t say why I’d be relieved so...I’d have to act relieved but if inquired why I feel like that I need to come up with a suspicious excuse, such as preferring a smaller city?”

“Very good.” Miyoshi sounded genuine, not mocking. “For now, yes. I’ll tell you how and when to change that, should the situation require it. Also, you must act more social, to encourage the target to try and become close to you.”

“Understood.”

“And now for the trickier part: your love life. Out of fear for your lover’s safety, as well as being enamored with him, you decided to take him along. The plan you devised is to have him secretly live with you at first while searching for his own temporary residence. That search will give us an alibi to be out perusing the city and speaking to locals constantly.”

“It makes sense.”

“As someone constantly afraid of being found out, you will be hesitant and refuse to show affection when in public, but your feelings will make you rash, thus attempting to have as much time alone as you can, and not just at the house.”

“I’m not sure I’m capable of pretending to have romantic feelings,” Sakuma said with actual honesty. He’d spent a lifetime learning to bury desire, not show it.

“Will have your actions speak instead, and hopefully it will be enough.”

“You also mentioned I’d be naive.”

“Correct. Your lover-”

_He’s always speaking as if the lover is someone other than him. Ah, I suppose that’s how it works, in their minds._

“-will have lied to you. You two will have met at an underground hidden club for deviants three weeks ago, a background the others will set up and monitor should anyone come looking for it-”

Panic resurfaced again. Sakuma had been to those before. What if D-Agency stumbled upon his real past?

“-and so you won’t know that your lover is a prostitute, as he has omitted that from you.”

 _Are such details even necessary?_ Sakuma didn’t want to ask, he felt it would be a stupid question.

“Now, about your lover. His name will be Mio.”

“...Mio?” Sakuma blinked in confusion. “Isn’t that too similar to your- to Miyoshi?”

“It is. But in light of the fact you don’t have the necessary training, it’s best to choose a name similar to the one you’re used to.”

Sakuma scowled. “I can at least remember a new name.”

“You might not remember it if someone spikes your drink with more alcohol than usual, or tortures you. With ‘Mio’, it’s similar enough to ‘Miyoshi’ that we can still try to excuse a slip up with claiming it was an affectionate pet name all along.”

“...Fine, _Mio_.”

“Good. Now, Mio is a weak, foolish, and meek yet greedy prostitute. He wants money and comfort above all.”

“So he doesn’t like Sakuma?” Speaking of himself in the third person felt strange, but Sakuma reasoned it might help the dissociation.

Miyoshi must have noticed his intent, because he flashed him another smile. “He likes him sufficiently, but not _too_ much. Just enough that he isn’t faking any happiness he has in his presence, but whose allegiance can be bought for the sufficient incentive.”

“And that’s useful because...the target might get in touch with you-with Mio? They seem to want to simply torture then kill so far.”

“In this place yes, but if there’s something hidden in Matsue, the less attention they draw, the better. Noriaki, as far as D-Agency could gather, had no interests outside his work and search for conspiracies. If so, there would be nothing the target could tempt or blackmail him with, and so he may have been left with no other choice than to murder him.”

Sakuma had a question about this, but Miyoshi had said tonight was for the acting alone, so he decided to wait for another time.

“Focusing back on Mio, he has been secretly still meeting clients despite being in a relationship.”

“If he doesn’t care that much for Sakuma, why did he agree to move to another city with him?”

“Self-interest, mostly. He wants to enjoy being kept for a while, and thinks that if it proves boring or not good enough, he can always acquire clients in Matsue, or simply return here. The other prostitutes cheered him on, too. And as I’ve said, he also does like your character.”

Sakuma was secretly impressed with the detailing of the personalities, but said nothing.

“I’ll take your silence as agreement. Now, one last important thing: codes. For now, there’s enough to remember as it is, so simply put: I’ll call you either ‘dearest’ or ‘dear Sakuma’ to convey that we’re being watched and you must act as the character constantly.”

Miyoshi had said the endearments with not a hint of embarrassment. “What if we’re in a crowded place? Wouldn’t that reveal my character’s sexuality?”

“If I feel we might be overheard by people we don’t want knowing about that, I’ll whisper. Or, if even that will be overheard, I will tug at your arm and point at something for you to look at.”

“And what if I need to signal to you?”

Miyoshi raised on eyebrow, face clearly expressing he sincerely doubted Sakuma would catch on to such before he did. “In that situation, use the same signals.”

“Understood.”

“One last thing before we leave: no more honorifics between us. I’ll call you Sakuma, and you must call me Mio, regardless of the company.”

Sakuma hardly liked that Miyoshi would be calling him with such familiarity, but he understood the need for it and didn’t complain.

Seemingly satisfied with the silence, Miyoshi said, “Good. Now, I think it’s time to go. Call the waitress and pay the bill.”

Sakuma wondered if this would really work out; Miyoshi acting like a submissive kept man while secretly taking control of every detail. There was, of course, no point in worrying about it, so he simply did as he was told.

“Let’s take a walk through the park, it’ll be good practice,” Miyoshi murmured as they exited.

Sakuma, obeying, wasn’t sure what to make of it. Practice made sense, but what, exactly, would they be practicing? Moreover, the park near the restaurant was also close to the Red Light District, and Sakuma was worried Miyoshi planned to take him there.

He recalled Jitsui’s earlier remark. Was Miyoshi going to test his somehow?

They entered the park. It seemed to be empty.

“Strange, it’s not that late, is it?” Sakuma said, looking around.

“Due to its closeness to the Red Light District, the common citizens avoid it at this hour, but it’s still early for the night crowd to appear,” Miyoshi explained.

“Ah, so-” Sakuma stopped, as he felt Miyoshi lean into him, hand latching onto his upper arm.

“Yes?” Miyoshi said innocently. Sakuma scowled. He hadn’t used the specific words, meaning Miyoshi was simply testing him.

 _So...is this it? No, considering Jitsui’s smile and Miyoshi’s character, this is hardly what they’d consider a test_.

In the distance, Sakuma noticed someone approaching, ambling slowly towards them. A drunk, clearly.

Miyoshi, also noticing the figure in the distance, let go of Sakuma’s arm.

The figure was coming closer, it’s step significantly faster now, and if it hadn’t been so dark, Sakuma might have made out their features…

There was a sharp inhale from Miyoshi, and he latched onto Sakuma’s arm again.

“ _Dearest_ , why don’t we turn back? I don’t like this place,” Miyoshi said almost meekly,

Surprised by the sudden change in demeanor, it took Sakuma a moment to realize what he’d said.

 _We’re being watched? Already? Maybe_ this _the actual test-_

“Heeey!”

Sakuma looked up; the figure was now a few feet away from them. It was a drunk, older man, holding the remnants of a bottle.

The man shuffled awkwardly towards them, pointed doggedly at Miyoshi.

“It’s you, isn’t it, Botan?” The man said, words slurred.

_Botan? What kind of name is-_

_“Focusing back on Mio, he has been secretly still meeting clients despite being in a relationship.”_

_Could it be this is Miyoshi’s former client?_

“I-I think there’s been some kind of mistake, sir,” Miyoshi- no, _Mio_ \- said weakly and tried shrinking behind Sakuma’s arm.

_I don’t believe this, he barely told me our backgrounds and already set up a test. This bastard._

“Ha! I’d recognize that pretty mouth anywhere, come here.” The man reached out and grabbed Miyoshi’s arm and forcibly pulled him towards himself.

Miyoshi made a small sound of pain but offered barely any resistance. It dawned on Sakuma that Miyoshi would let the man manhandle him and more, if it meant not breaking out of character.

_Fine._

“My good sir,” Sakuma said, placing a hand over the man’s own that was holding onto Miyoshi. “I believe there’s a misunderstanding. His name isn’t Botan, and he’s already said he doesn’t recognize you.”

The man blinked and tried to focus on Sakuma. “Whores change their names all the time. I had this one a few days ago, I’d definitely recognize that face. Are you his current client? How much do you want to hand him over?”

Sakuma bristled. “Sir, please stop slandering my…” What should he say? His character wasn’t supposed to admit they were lovers, yet wouldn’t that have been made clear by now? “...friend. It’s clear you’ve consumed more alcohol than advisable, and have mistaken him for some...prostitute. Please cease defaming his name and be on your way.” With force, he managed to free Miyoshi from the man’s hold.

“Slander? Ha! Are you telling me that tramp has tricked you into thinking he's some _dignified_ citizen? And I noticed how you paused, friend my ass! You must be drunker than I am! Listen, just the other night, this ‘friend’ of yours had his mouth on my-”

He didn’t get a chance to finish. Sakuma, fearing the mental image he’d get if the man started describing what Miyoshi did in detail, punched him squarely in the jaw.

Miyoshi made a small choked sound that seemed like shock, but Sakuma was sure was laughter.

The man fell down with a pained yelp.

“You’ve run your disgusting mouth more than enough for tonight,” Sakuma growled, trying to suppress images of where Miyoshi’s mouth could have been, “Leave now, before I decide to hurt you more for this shameful display.”

It took a few minutes for the pained and disoriented man to manage to stand up again, but he ran away as soon as he did.

Looking at his now distant figure, Sakuma sighed. “That was-”

Miyoshi let go of his arm and attached himself to Sakuma’s chest, head pressed just below his neck, trembling.

Sakuma couldn’t help freezing up. Before tonight, he’d barely ever touched Miyoshi, the intimacy of the embrace was disconcerting him. Before he could decide what to do, Miyoshi hissed in a voice so low Sakuma had trouble hearing it despite almost no distance between them.

“Don’t stand there like a statue, comfort your scared lover.”

Miyoshi’s tone was sharp, rather than the usual slow mocking drawl. Unthinkingly, Sakuma did what he considered most comforting in the situation: his arms circled Miyoshi and embraced him tightly.

Despite the layers of clothing, Sakuma could feel the muscles Miyoshi had in his front and back. It wasn’t a good thing at all, his taste preferred that over soft skin.

“Good,” Miyoshi hissed again, breath ghosting Sakuma’s neck. “Now listen. Don’t take your eyes off me, you wouldn’t be able to see the person anyway, but we’re being watched.”

It took some considerable self-control for Sakuma to not instinctively try to scan the area. It helped that the feel of Miyoshi was distracting.

“We need to lose them. We can’t be seen going back to D-Agency together. We’ll try to shake them off and if that fails, you and I will spend the night at some brothel.”

It sounded risky. Wouldn’t it be suspicious if they meandered around and then went to a brothel? Especially after Sakuma had just refuted accusations of Miyoshi being a prostitute.

However, they didn’t have another choice…

Except they did.

Sakuma knew he’d feel remorse later, but at this moment his priority was trying to salvage the operation.

He leaned down and whispered, “I have an apartment, would it be better to go there?”

This time, the one to freeze was Miyoshi, but when he lifted his head to look at sakuma, his face was still the perfect mask of a scared man. There were even signs of tears in the corner of his eyes.

“Where did you say we should go?” He asked uncertainly, voice no longer whispering.

 _I’ll take that as an yes._ “You’re distraught. Stay at my place tonight, I’ll protect you,” he said, hoping anyone hearing it wouldn’t notice the emotionless delivery of his words.

Miyoshi nodded, finally pulling away from Sakuma’s chest and retreating back to his side.

Trying not to sigh, much less look around for their voyeur, Sakuma began walking.

*

As he led them both in silence to his apartment, Sakuma was able to examine ‘Mio’ better, since Miyoshi remained in character at all times.

He...wasn’t sure what to make of the persona.

For one thing, although Mio was nothing like Miyoshi, Sakuma couldn’t say that the charade was fake. If he hadn’t known Miyoshi before, he’d never have guessed.

Mio seemed meek, and clung to Sakuma whenever they walked through empty streets, wholly dependent on him.

Sakuma couldn’t say he preferred this at all.

_I’m between Miyoshi, a spiteful trickster, and Mio, this subservient liar. No matter what this person calls himself, I can’t like him._

Perhaps, if Miyoshi wasn’t such a threat to himself, he might have liked that more, but as it was...

His musings were interrupted as he turned a corner and saw his apartment building.

He opened the building’s door and gestured Miyoshi inside. The spy entered glancing around cautiously at the corridor.

“It’s fine,” Sakuma murmured, leading him onwards, “Most of the tenants are much older, they’re all asleep by now.” A building with no doorman, and neighbors that wouldn’t be awake at such hours of the night...they were reasons why this apartment had been ideal enough that Sakuma had kept it.

Despite his assurance, Miyoshi said nothing, and Sakuma brought him to the last apartment on the ground floor, opening the door.

Miyoshi entered and immediately began scouting the place. Not that there was much to look at; it was extremely small, with the main room, a bathroom and a small kitchen, and practically bare of furniture, save for a carpet, small table, large wardrobe and a stool for the telephone.

By the time Sakuma had secured that the door was locked, Miyoshi was by his side again.

“Lieutenant,” his voice had a hum to it, and his eyes twinkled with...glee? “Your acting was astounding. That punch, I never expected _that_ out of you.” He sounded honestly happy about it. “And also…I didn’t know you had an apartment.”

 _Am I going to pay for this?_ “I never saw the need to inform you. More importantly, what just happened out there?”

“Hm, fair enough, let’s deal with that first,” Miyoshi conceded before going to the low table in the center of the room and sprawling himself next to it.

Annoyed at his lack of etiquette, Sakuma followed but made sure to sit as properly as possible; back straight and legs folded underneath himself. Miyoshi gave him a look over and chuckled.

“I suppose, for tonight, I’ll do things your way,” he said, and mirrored Sakuma’s position. “As for what happened,” his expression became somber, “we were set up, then observed.”

“Set up? Meeting that man wasn’t your plan all along?”

“Hardly. Although it certainly proved useful to see how quickly and well you’d react, I would never have risked it. In fact, the man wasn’t supposed to be there at all, which is how I knew we were being tested and managed to notice the person that came after the man, watching us.”

“How did you know he wasn’t supposed to be there at all?”

Miyoshi gave him an impatient look. “Because we all study any target beforehand. I knew that man’s habits. He should not have been there. Someone changed his tracks, likely telling him where to find me.”

“I don’t understand. It makes sense that they’d know about my going to Matsue since that has had more than a day to spread, but how would they have known about you?”

“Because Mio spent the afternoon with his prostitute friends, telling them how he decided to go to Matsue with his new man, and how excited he was to be travelling. Prostitutes like to gossip, and a male whore turning into a ‘kept woman’ and moving elsewhere temporarily isn’t too common, so they’d spread it fast. And since I’ve told them about my recent clients, anyone who heard said news could easily find one and spring at me.”

“Just….how long have you been…”

“Selling my body? You’ll be glad to know, not that long and not that much. But we at the D-Agency like to cultivate friendships with that sort of people and lie about our number of clientele. It gives us a solid background to fall on should a situation arise that needs it. And currently, it has.”

Sakuma rubbed his temples. “So from the very start you were baiting them to come to us? For the sake of the mission, please give me a warning next time.”

“On this sort of task, a warning and time might be the last thing you have. You need to be able to react quickly. And you did well, all things considered.” The compliment was said with a small smile, before it quickly disappeared again and Miyoshi sighed. “Still, although I was ready for the possibility of something happening, even I didn’t expect them to act so soon, much less in such a manner.”

It disturbed Sakuma a little to think even Miyoshi hadn’t been fully expecting the action. Although, he was also glad the man hadn’t risked their mission by keeping him unaware of what the enemy might do before Sakuma’s task even properly begun.

“Hopefully you’ll understand now why every caution is needed, Lieutenant.”

“Yes.”

“Good,” Miyoshi’s somber expression was exchanged for a contemplative one as he leaned towards Sakuma, across the table from him. “With that settled, let's talk about this apartment.”

“There’s nothing to say,” Sakuma answered brusquely, fisting his hands.

“Don’t be silly. As a First Lieutenant you must have been moving around a lot, and been allocated in the Army barracks and dormitories, thus no need for an apartment. Yet here it is. Moreover, despite clearly despising everything about D-Agency from the very start, you willingly stayed, and still stay, at our quarters instead of here. How secret is this place?”

“It isn’t, at all. The Army has it noted down on my file.”

“Is that so? Perfect, Lt. Col. Yuuki mas have seen to it that mentions of D-Agency were temporarily removed while in this mission, and they’ll have simply used the apartment as your abode instead. If the enemy cares to look, he’ll simply confirm there’s nothing strange about us coming here.”

“Speaking of D-Agency, should we warn them?”

“We’ll have to spend the night,” he chuckled at Sakuma’s blatant disappointment, “but there’s no hurry since they aren’t being threatened.”

“No, go call them now,” Sakuma pointed to the old telephone and stood up. “I’ll set up the futons in the meantime.”

 _Did I say something strange?_ Sakuma wondered, noticing the look Miyoshi momentarily gave him before shrugging and going to the phone.

As Sakuma took out the futons from the wardrobe and readied them, he heard Miyoshi speaking to D-Agency.

“It’s me. We were observed and followed, so we’ll be staying at Sakuma’s apartment tonight.” He ended the call without as much as a goodbye.

“Shouldn't you have at least told them the address?”

Miyoshi huffed. “If this place is even on your official file, they shouldn’t have any trouble finding it.”

That only made Sakuma more nervous. To think that they could have found this place sooner…

“Let’s go back on topic: why do you have this?”

 _I was hoping you’d moved on._ “I received it as an inheritance,” Sakuma said truthfully.

“And you still have it because…?”

“I’m not in any financial difficulty, and spend very little of what I earn. I thought it might be useful to keep this rather than sell it, and rent it now and then.”

“...I see,” Miyoshi said strangely, and then looked at the wardrobe. “Do you have a spare change of clothes?”

“Ah, no. I’m afraid I only have one sleeping attire here. You can-”

“No need. I’ll sleep in what I’m wearing. If we’re still being watched come morning, my disheveled appearance should give them the appropriate implications.”

Implications Sakuma would rather not think about. “You believe they’ll still be following us by then?”

“I doubt it; it’ll be harder to try and tail us unnoticed in broad daylight, and it’s too early for such a risk. But tonight has proven we need to be as careful as possible. What are you doing?”

“I’m….setting the futons down.”

“On opposite sides of the room? Put them side by side.”

Sakuma felt his stomach drop. “They won’t be watching us in here.”

“No, but we need to practice in case it’s necessary later. You might as well get used to sleeping next to me now.”

 _Not here, not in this place,_ Sakuma thought.

The truth was that, his main reason for keeping the apartment despite rarely using it, was for the sake of his trysts.

When he was active and in the city, Sakuma found that taking someone to his apartment, rather than relying on brothels, diminished the risk of discovery. So he’d kept the place, and even when he wasn’t using it, still made sure to keep it clean should he decide to use it.

Thankfully, the last time he’d been here was just after being assigned to D-Agency, and he’d thrown away the bottle of lubricant he usually kept, reasoning that while he was with the spies he wouldn’t use the place, and the substance might go bad if left too long.

He couldn’t even begin to fathom the horror that it would have been if Miyoshi had found something like that.

Even so, he didn’t feel safe yet. The last time he slept in this place and in that futon, with a warm body by his side...what if his sleeping body misunderstood the situation and tried to embrace Miyoshi during sleep? Or worse, started having obscene dreams.

No, surely the danger he was in would dampen any sort of thing.

“Lieutenant?” Miyoshi called, sitting down on his futon and patting the one now he’d just brought to his side.

Sighing to hide his nervousness, Sakuma grabbed his change of clothes. “I’ll get changed in the bathroom.”

“You-oh, very well, you can still do that for today, at least.”

Sakuma hastily entered the bathroom and shut the door before Miyoshi could change his mind. The spy didn’t stop speaking, however.

“I am disappointed in how puerile you’re acting. As a Lieutenant, surely changing in front of and sleeping next to your comrades should be second nature to you?”

_Not in a place where every corner reminds me of the aberrant things I’ve done with other man. And not with anyone that looked like you._

“You aren’t an Army comrade. And the situation is….atypical.”

Miyoshi said nothing else.

He got out again to find Miyoshi lying on his side, back to Sakuma’s futon.

 _Perfect_ , Sakuma thought, turning off the lights and lying down with his back to Miyoshi.

He heard Miyoshi shifting, and a hand shot out and grabbed Sakuma’s shoulder.

For second Miyoshi applied pressure as if he were about to push Sakuma onto his back, but then the hand let go almost as quickly as it had come.

“What is this about?” He asked.

“Nothing, forget it Lieutenant. You’ve done well for today, so I think I’ll let you sleep. I’ll test you further tomorrow, goodnight.”

“Good...night?” What kind of test would require…

_Was he about to pin me to the futon and engage in some sort of sexual activity!?_

Sakuma refrained from shuddering, and hated how it partly felt like disappointment.

_And he hasn’t given up, just delayed it based on ‘good behavior’. If he makes advances on me, I don’t know if I’m capable of stopping myself from reacting._

He didn’t look forward to the next day at all.

*

It took over an hour before Sakuma’s breathing changed in a way that indicated he was truly asleep.

_Finally. I suppose it’s my own fault, for riling him up._

Miyoshi stood up and moved in complete silence.

He examined the room as best he could in the darkness.

The Lieutenant had lied or omitted something about the apartment.

If he’d kept it for sentimental reasons, there would be something of value in the apartment, yet he saw no traces of anything but the bare minimum furnishings.

If he had no use for it, why not let it? And despite not letting it or using it himself, things had been kept tidy…

Miyoshi found checked the kitchen and smile at his findings.

Two sets of cups, plates and utensils. And he had two futons…

Why would a man that didn’t even live in the apartment, have two sets of things? Not fear of one becoming unusable, since he had no spare set of clothing…

_Lieutenant Sakuma, you’ve surprised me again, how sly._

The military didn’t prohibit relationships with women, the only reason Sakuma would need to be with someone in here rather than the army quarters or out in the daylight was if he’d been consummating his relationships.

Miyoshi couldn’t begin to imagine the uptight man having such a sexual appetite that he needed his own place, rather than make use of the brothel.

Or maybe that was it. Maybe the man had such a low opinion of those establishments he abhorred going to them. And maybe his trysts had been with women of a better standing, that would make it shameful to take them to such places.

Miyoshi was relieved at this finding. The Lieutenant was, it seemed, far from being the vestal maiden Miyoshi had thought him to be. It would make things easier, since he wouldn’t have to walk Sakuma through intimacy, just convince him to do it with a man.

It also made him curious, how many women had Sakuma been with, or for how long, that he felt the need to keep this apartment?

There was, of course, the small probability that Sakuma had been in an enduring relationship before and simply not gotten rid of the place after they’d broken up. Miyoshi discarded that quickly; the apartment was too little furnished to have been serviceable for a long period of living in it.

He went back to his futon and sat down, observing Sakuma’s sleeping form. He’d been mildly interested in the man before, but now...

And he’d told Kaminaga and Hatano earlier he didn’t want to go exaggerate and accidentally break Sakuma before their mission had even truly begun, however…

“Sweet dreams, Sakuma,” he whispered lowly in the man’s ear, and laid down to sleep, body pressed against Sakuma’s back.

Lieutenant Sakuma was sleeping on an apartment he most likely associated with trysts. And had a warm body next to his own...

All things considered, Sakuma would likely have _very_ pleasant dreams to night. And if, when he woke up, his body had a physical reaction to them...Miyoshi would be there to lend a hand.

 _I’m sure you won’t break if I do only_ that _much._

He was looking forward to tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sakuma's apartment: the character designer often sually makes fanart on their twitter for each episode. the fanart isn't supposed to be taken as official. Even so, I decided to use their post of Yuuki visiting Sakuam's apartment. I was sightly surprised that, even as something not official, they drew sakuma having one despite clearly sleeping at D-Agency in episode 01. p>[Here it is](https://sinningshipper.tumblr.com/post/144835764284/sekinosemimaru-source-thank-you-for)
> 
> *The rating for this will be changed. When i first published this, I was unsure about the rating. From what I've gathered, the E rating might be necessary for anything explixit of a sexual nature, even if not sex itself. As such, I'll be changing the rating from M to E next chapter. Hopefully that won't bother anyone, due to the tags mentioning porn already.
> 
> *I realize I published this chapter less than a day before an episode. Said episode may focus on Jitsui. Still, I didn't want to delay it. Hopefully Jitsui's personality isn't very different from what I wrote.
> 
> *I should have mentioned this earlier, but this is unbetaed. Im not looking for one, but apologies if there too many mistakes that have escaped my notice.


	5. Chapter 5

_“Sweet dreams, Sakuma,” a familiar voice whispers in his ear, and Sakuma’s dream is a bliss of hands and mouth everywhere-_

Sakuma woke from pleasant dreams into a vexing yet familiar situation.

 _I knew this might happen_ , he thought, cursing silently, as he felt his cock was half hard. He muffled a sigh as his senses came fully to.

To add insult to injury, he felt someone pressing against his back. _Why would a spy be the sort to cling in sleep?_

No matter, he could simply stay in bed and concentrate until the problem went away. It would be uncomfortable, but he could handle it.

“Morning, Lieutenant,” Miyoshi said from behind him, not sounding at all drowsy, “I know you’re awake.”

_Did he...stick himself to my back to know when I woke up? But why do that at all?_

“Good morning,” Sakuma replied curtly. Since the option of remaining as he was had just been rendered unusable, there was only one thing to do. “I’m going to take a shower,” he said and sat up quickly.

Hands shot out and circled his chest.

“Why the hurry, Lieutenant?” Miyoshi asked lightly, voice coming from just behind Sakuma’s ear. Although the feel of his breath ghosting his neck wasn’t helping Sakuma’s predicament, the sudden wave of fear was.

“I don’t understand what you mean. Let go of me,” Sakuma ordered, and tried to remove the hands holding onto him, but their grip was surprisingly strong despite Miyoshi’s slender frame.

“I think my question was simple enough, why are you in such a hurry to take a bath?”

“There’s no hurry,” Sakuma lied, “I just like to-”

“Take baths first thing in the morning? Don’t make so little of me. We sleep in the same dormitory, I know your routine.”

Sakuma cursed again. “Well, after waking up with a man besides me, I need to cleanse myself.”

He felt Miyoshi inch closer, now resting his chest against Sakuma’s back and chin on his shoulder.

“That’s better. But if you were the sort to be disgusted to that length, you’d have showered last night, after having been forced to hold hands and even embrace me. Is there something you need to take care of in the bathroom?”

Could Miyoshi see how pale he’d just become? Most likely. Even so, he continued to deny it. “I still don’t know what you mean.”

“No? So if my hands go lower…” his hands managed to slip past Sakuma's slackened hold and inched lower, to his belly, “won’t they find something interesting?”

Sakuma stopped the hands again. “No, they won’t,” he insisted vainly. “Why would they?”

“Because this is the apartment you take your lovers to.”

Breathing was now difficult, and Sakuma could feel beads of sweat on his face.

“How scandalous, really,” Miyoshi said with a low chuckle. “To think such an upright Lieutenant was maintaining sexual relationships with women out of wedlock.”

Sakuma had to restrain himself from visibly sagging in relief.

“Tell me, Lieutenant, what was it about your relationships that forced you to use this setup? Just what kind of woman are you interested in?”

 _Not women._ So glad Miyoshi had not figured out the most important part, Sakuma decided to not deny it. It would have been pointless anyway.

“It’s none of your business,” he barked back, “and how did you figure this out?”

“You have sets of two for tableware and futon. You keep this place clean and well maintained despite barely using it. It doesn’t seem as you’ve rented it. There’s nothing of emotional value in sight. Among other things.”

_To think I was being so obvious._

His body language must have betrayed his thoughts, because Miyoshi’s body shook with laughter.

“Don’t get upset. You weren’t too bad, I’m just that good. Now, to the matter at hand…you woke up in the futon and apartment you used for such trysts, with a warm body next to yours. And given you haven’t done anything of the sort since you were sent to D-Agency….your body is parched, and the setting only made it remember such things, which gave you a reaction we should take care of.”

“ _We_?” Sakuma replied hoarsely. “There is no we in this, even if you were a woman-”

“Oh?” Miyoshi’s voice took a low and dangerous tone, “I wouldn’t be good enough as a woman for you?”

Sakuma chose to ignore the remark. “Besides,” he said, half embarrassed he was having to say such things out loud. “Your touch and voice have taken care of the problem.”

It was a lie. It had been the utmost terror he was feeling that had fixed it.

He half expected Miyoshi to feel offended about it. Instead, he drew closer.

“Even better,” Miyoshi said lightly, “We can verify how well you react to me.”

“What? Absolutely not, enough of this.” Sakuma put more effort in dislodging the arms around him, but they simply became tighter around him, almost painfully so. “Miyoshi-”

“You saw whoever we are up against is quite skilled last night,” Miyoshi said, voice serious now, and Sakuma stopped trying to get away to listen. “And you saw how they were willing to follow and test us the very day they learned about our relationship. Do you truly believe these people will be satisfied with seeing us walk hand in hand? Specially given you are still unable to look like you’re in love.”

He had a point. “So this is...a test?”

“Of course. I need to know if you can at least react to me at all.”

“Haven’t I made it clear I have no interest in your sex?”

“The body isn’t as simple as that. If proper stimuli is given in the right places, it may react, regardless of who is doing it.”

 _Agree to this,_ a part of Sakuma wished. _Why not? He’d enjoy himself while hiding under the guise of the mission…_

But what if something in his reaction betrayed his tastes? And how harder would it make avoid thinking of Miyoshi in such ways, if he did that to him? He couldn’t afford to risk it.

“If bodies react regardless, why is there a need to test me? You’re tricking me to amuse yourself.”

“Because it isn’t a certainty. And with your deeply ingrained views on this, you might just manage to curb even natural body instincts in your misplaced disgust. Moreover, you might also react with too obvious loathing. I need to verify that, before it’s too late to fix things.”

It made sense. Wasn’t it only natural to test the lengths someone so verbally against such things would manage to go?

Even so, Sakuma’s instincts fought against it.

This time, Miyoshi misunderstood his body language, stating, “Any of the others would want to test you similarly, too.”

Before Sakuma could consider it, much less reply, there was a knock at the door.

“Delivery,” someone called, and Sakuma was immediately alert.

The arms enveloping him finally let go, and he felt Miyoshi extricate himself from his back. He’d have been happier about it if he wasn’t now worried about the supposed delivery.

He turned around to look at Miyoshi, who was now getting up. Catching his gaze, Miyoshi shrugged. “No, I didn’t order anything, but that knock is Kaminaga’s.”

 _Oh._ Kaminaga must have disguised his voice, since Sakuma hadn’t recognized it at all.

Miyoshi went to the door and opened it. Kaminaga entered in full delivery boy gear, including food.

“I’ve brought you two bento, Fukumoto made it,” he said with ease, setting it down at the kitchen counter and then looking around. “To think you had an apartment, Lieutenant.”

Miyoshi carefully closed the door then went to sit by the table. He glanced at Sakuma before purposely sprawling himself in and unfit manner. “Lieutenant,” he said, “Kaminaga isn’t acting like a delivery boy or attempting to leave in a time befitting one. What does that mean?”

 _Finally, a non-threatening test._ “That...we aren’t being watched?”

Kaminaga sat across from Miyoshi on the table and nodded. “We’ve combed the perimeter and there were no signs of anything or anyone remotely suspicious. Which is expected, since it’s too early for anyone to risk getting caught by spying in broad daylight.”

“So we’re free to leave?” Sakuma asked, joining them but choosing to sit properly despite their slovenly posture. Kaminaga noticed, and his lips twitched.

“Yes, but Lt. Col. Yuuki will want you to sleep here tonight again.”

“‘You’ as in, us both or…?”

Kaminaga’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, just you, Lieutenant. He wants to see if they’ll try to make a move when you’re alone, though chances are they’ll back off for now. Regardless, we will, of course, be tailing you and give you instructions on what to do.”

“...I see.” Sakuma didn’t care if the relief was evident on his face.

Kaminaga, now more serious, turned to Miyoshi. “With that out of the way, anything to report?”

“Nothing much beyond what I said last night. Our observer knew to stay away and in the shadows enough that I could barely notice their presence. And they set a former client of my on us.”

Kaminaga nodded before grinning again. “So, how’s your situation? The Lieutenant is clearly glad to be rid of you after only one night.” He glanced at the futons next to each other and his grin widened. “Is he proving too troublesome for you?”

Sakuma could hear his heartbeat in his ear, and clenched his hands tightly over his thighs. What would Miyoshi begin with? His refusing to being touched, or what the apartment had been used for?

Miyoshi looked at him, and for a second Sakuma could swear he smiled, before turning to Kaminaga and shrugging indifferently.

“He’s being as reluctant as expected in some aspects, but he pulled through well last night.”

“Oh, really now? What did he do?”

“Became aggravated at accusations over his lover’s proclivities and punched a drunk man in the face to defend his honor. He also suggested coming to this apartment. I too was unaware he had it.”

Kaminaga raised one eyebrow and looked at Sakuma appraisingly.

“Not bad. Perhaps we’ll make a spy out of you sooner than later,” he said.

Sakuma barely registered it, going over Miyoshi’s words; he was unused to praise in general, since his superiors in the army believed flawlessness and the pursuit of self-betterment in line of duty were things to always strive for, and as such didn’t believe in rewarding such behavior most of the time. And Sakuma’s actions in D-agency had so far not been praiseworthy either, so it felt unexpected to receive it.

He pushed that aside, still bracing for Miyoshi to breach the other matters. Instead, Miyoshi simply asked, “anything else to report on your end?”

Kaminaga shook his head. “Not really.”

“I see. Then if you’ll excuse me,” Miyoshi stood up, “I believe I’ll make use of the shower before we return.”

“Is it japanese or western style? And I didn’t know you minded your privacy.”

“Western. And I don’t. But you know how faulty the heating can be in D-Agency. I may as well enjoy a warm shower once in a while, since the Lieutenant seems the type to keep that in working order.”

Sakuma hadn’t realized it was a question, and took a moment to understand why both spies were silently looking at him. “Ah...yes, yes there should be warm water.”

Satisfied, Miyoshi left them. As soon as he closed the door to the bathroom, Kaminaga stood up.

“This was far more interesting than I hoped. I’ll want more details later. And an explanation for this apartment.”

Also standing up to take him to the door, Sakuma wondered what to say. Miyoshi hadn’t revealed anything this time, but there was always the possibility he was saving the information for a better time. As such, should he simply reveal the truth of the matter himself to refuse giving Miyoshi the pleasure, or should he see if Miyoshi wouldn’t say it at all?

Though he couldn’t see why Miyoshi wouldn’t spread the information, Sakuma decided to keep it to himself for now, in case he had the chance to reveal it in a time that benefited himself.

He sighed to hide his worry. “I’ve already explained it to Miyoshi: this is simply an apartment I received from an inheritance that I thought might be useful to keep since I’m not pressed for money and could afford to maintain it.”

The look Kaminaga gave him as he walked to the door was indecipherable; Sakuma had no idea if his explanation had been good enough.

“Lucky us, then,” was all Kaminaga said, and as Sakuma opened the door for him, he couldn’t decide if he was glad or worried that the spy would be leaving. On one hand, it meant he’d have no chance to look around and come to the same conclusion Miyoshi had, but on the other it meant Sakuma would be left alone with the man trying to literally get his hands on his-

Kaminaga derailed his line of thought by reaching for something inside his suit.

“Lt. Col. Yuuki thought you might want to read the paper to entertain yourself,” Kaminaga said, and though his face betrayed nothing, even Sakuma understood the importance of something their boss had wanted him to read. He accepted the newspaper warily.

“It’s simply this morning’s newspaper. Nothing has been altered about it,” Kaminaga said with a small smile, then bid him goodbye and left.

That assurance only meant whatever Sakuma was meant to see might not be too obvious. He turned to the front page nearly flinched.

_‘Serial Killer of Deviants Strikes Again. Another Depraved Military Man Killed.’_

The bold headline had Sakuma clenching the paper in anger. Still, there had to be more to it. Perhaps a clue was written in the text?

The victim had been murdered last night. Found hanged while crossdressing. There were no details, other than a bland statement from army and police figureheads making bland statements trying to defend their side of the argument. Nothing stood out to Sakuma. The name of the victim was-

He froze.

It was one of his seniors. Not just any senior, but a man that had helped Sakuma and others similar to him how to navigate the Army despite their problems. He’d been a noble and loyal man, whose only flaw had been a wish to have been born into the fairer sex…

Sakuma swallowed a lump in his throat and let the newspaper drop.

Innocent people were dying, and so were people close to him.

He looked at the bathroom door.

Sakuma didn’t want to jeopardize the mission any longer. If Miyoshi wanted to test him, then so be it.

*

Miyoshi had heard the Lieutenant’s heavy footsteps approach the bathroom wall and expected him to knock and speak through it. Instead, the man entered without missing a beat.

Miyoshi blinked, immediately wary. Not that the situation itself was dangerous: even completely bare he could still take out anyone coming after him.

Sakuma was looking at the floor, expression graver than ever.

“What did Kaminaga tell you?” Miyoshi asked. He turned off the water -he disliked unnecessary waste- and waited.

“He….that is...Lt. Col Yuuki...had him give us this morning’s paper.”

“And?”

“There was another death.” Sakuma was gripping his hand so tightly it was starting to turn white.

“Was it someone you knew?” Miyoshi guessed, trying to keep his voice low and non-confrontational.

Sakuma nodded. “A senior. He was...kind.”

 _More than that, if you’re clearly pained by his murder._ Miyoshi put it aside for later. “So what do you want with me?”

Sakuma inhaled heavily before giving him his faltering answer. “I don’t want this, for more than one reason, but I understand the necessity of testing me and I don’t want to jeopardize or delay this mission. Not when so many people are being killed. Therefore...do it.”

 _It’s as if he’s giving consent to be tortured_ , Miyoshi mused, and silently slipped out of the tub and towards Sakuma without bothering to get dry.

Miyoshi wasn’t acknowledged until he was invading his private space, at which point Sakuma turned to look at him with jaw set and an expression Miyoshi had last seen when the man had been preparing to cut his own stomach open.

It was an attitude Miyoshi found pathetic in its mindset, but amusingly enticing in its steadfastness.

The Lieutenant stared at his face, and Miyoshi was aware of what he was seeing. His eyelashes were long and his face thin enough that it could pass for a good looking woman. And with the water that still dropped down from him, his hair was sticking to his face, making him seem like a short haired female more than ever.

“Am I passable as a woman to you right now?”

“....Not in the slightest,” Sakuma deadpanned, and Miyoshi didn’t think he was lying.

That mollified Miyoshi somewhat. Truthfully, he despised such comparisons; people should either admire his looks as a man, or not at all. And Sakuma had, albeit after a push, come to him of his own volition….

All in all, Miyoshi it was just enough to make him willing to show Sakuma some kindness.

“It might help if you close your eyes and pretend I’m one of your women,” he said quietly. “I’ll even be silent.”

It would likely be easier if he used his mouth instead of hands, but Miyoshi refused to get down on his knees unnecessarily for a man that wouldn't even fully appreciate the gesture.

Sakuma blinked twice, clearly considering it.

“Close yours as well,” he finally said.

_Why? You don’t want me to see you react? I’m a D-Agency spy, I don’t need sight when my other senses will paint me a clear picture regardless._

And yet...Miyoshi felt a tinge of annoyance. He pushed it aside.

He smiled mischievously. “Ah, but with your own eyes closed, how will you be able to tell if I have mine also?”

Sakuma floundered, and Miyoshi continued before he could come up with a response. “Instead, I’ll place my head on your shoulder, since you have an ideal height for that. That way, I won’t see anything and you’ll notice if I try to cheat.”

Of course the proposal of added contact didn’t go down well with the Lieutenant. However, in his defense, he reigned in his distaste for it and, after a few seconds of silence where he was clearly fighting with himself, nodded briefly in assent and closed his eyes tightly.

Before Sakuma’s resolve could waver, Miyoshi leaned in, resting his forehead on the junction between his neck and shoulder blade; next to his collarbone. He could feel how tense the man was, his muscles completely taut.

Hooking his fingers on either side of Sakuma’s trousers, Miyoshi lowered them swiftly. He bit back a chuckle when he felt the muscles in his shoulder contract in a way that meant Sakuma had now fiercely fisted his hands again.

Miyoshi then put a hand back on his thigh and began caressing the warm skin underneath it as he moved slowly from hip to stomach.

“Get on with-”

Miyoshi cut him off by nipping at his clavicle.

“Shush,” he murmured into the skin and continued to move his hand languidly. It finally reached Sakuma’s lower belly and he allowed it to brush beneath it just _so_ …

He heard Sakuma inhale sharply.

Miyoshi then removed it, and placed it at Sakuma’s inner thigh, rubbing it softly.

He felt Sakuma swallow thickly, and wondered if he could make him lose himself without even properly touching his crotch.

Well, he probably _could_ , but he doubted Sakuma would let him delay this for much longer.

After one last careful squeeze at his inner thigh, Miyoshi’s hands moved and, despite his lack of vision, grasped Sakuma’s cock.

The arms Sakuma had been forcing to stay ramrod straight by his side involuntarily reached out to hold Miyoshi by the waist.

Miyoshi stood still, seeing if Sakuma was about to push him away instinctively. When he didn’t, his hand moved from base to tip and back again. He felt it start to respond.

 _That didn’t take long. I expected more resistance._ He also put that musing aside for later.

Rather than finish this quickly, Miyoshi chose to let his hands gently roam the shaft, squeezing once or twice, so that he could envision the shape, size and every minor detail through touch.

His cock was now completely hard and, technically, Miyoshi could end this now, since he now knew Sakuma could readily respond.

But naturally, he was going to see this through to the end.

Sakuma was panting slightly and now and clearly holding back any noise he might make.

_I don’t think so._

Miyoshi began going from base to tip in a faster paced rhythm, careful to keep it good but not too pleasurable.

He felt Sakuma stabilize, controlling himself better with the continuous movements.

Miyoshi waited, and when he felt even the panting diminish…

Fast, so that Sakuma wouldn't even have time to brace himself, his fingers slid down and cupped his testicles.

Sakuma choked. His hands squeezed Miyoshi’s hips tightly.

_Not enough._

Miyoshi squeezed slightly, and then carefully raked his nails over them.

Sakuma bent down, and his groan was muffled by Miyoshi’s shoulder.

 _Good boy_. Miyoshi shifted slightly, making it so Sakuma’s mouth ended up pressed to the side of his neck. _Pity he isn’t going to do anything with it._

And this is was one of the reasons Miyoshi had no inclination for virgins; a virgin might have been overly stimulated and done with already, but Sakuma had practice and as such could last longer, meaning more time for Miyoshi to play with him.

The mouth still stubbornly shut against his neck, for example. He could try coaching more sounds out of it, or force Sakuma to taste his skin in that spot. And why stop there? Why not have the man work for this too, by forcing him to thrust into Miyoshi’s hands-

_No._

Miyoshi saw the signs that he was being drawn into it. That wasn’t acceptable. This was a test for a mission, and Sakuma was at the limit of what he could handle being done to him. In the future, when Sakuma had looser morals…

Though he truly doubted Sakuma would ever fully welcome anything from him.

He was back to touching the cock again, paying more attention to the more sensitive underside, alternating between delicate touches with the pads of his fingers, his nails and sudden tighter grips. He never moved too fast, drawing it out as much as possible, feeling the way Sakuma’s careful control was slowly unraveled through the minute shaking of his body and movement of his muscles. The hands still latched onto his hips moved sometimes, as if in a silent war between wanting to pull Miyoshi closer or shove him away. He felt Sakuma’s body heat rise and his heartbeat thudding faster.

And then, panting slightly, Sakuma broke the silence.

“I’m...not going to last much longer.”

Miyoshi, well aware of just how much time Sakuma would likely last, down to the last second, slowed down even more so he could hear the answer before it was too late. “So?”

“You...don’t want to be...dirtied, do you?”

Miyoshi blinked. He had, in fact, been planning to move away at the very last second to avoid exactly that. But now…

Chivalry deserved a reward.

He pressed a thumb over the slit and moved so that his mouth was next to Sakuma’s ear.

“Don’t you hate me?” He whispered, caressing the tip with his thumb, then raking it with a nail. He heard Sakuma’s breathing hitch. “If so, don’t you _want_ to make me filthy?”

Miyoshi didn’t allow him any time to respond. He squeezed the tip one final time and Sakuma came undone. He felt it, less by the release on his hand and stomach, and more by the way Sakuma’s whole body shuddered, hands tightening and loosening on Miyoshi as he gasped, burying his mouth once again in Miyoshi’s neck.

Rather than push him away, Miyoshi used his clean hand to hold Sakuma in place until he composed himself.

He recovered quickly enough and moved backward, extricating himself from Miyoshi as if burned. His cheeks and neck were scarlet.

Miyoshi watched as, just before Sakuma wretched his gaze to anywhere but Miyoshi, he glanced at a split second at Miyoshi’s dirty hand and then his-

Miyoshi chuckled, but refrained from closing the distance between them again, in case Sakuma was now too altered to accept it. “Are you relieved or disappointed that this hasn’t aroused me?”

Sakuma, stubbornly looking to the side, answered through gritted teeth. “Relieved and surprised, since I half expected you to have that sort of enjoyment in humiliating me.”

It made Miyoshi hesitate for a second; he hadn’t expected that answer. “Humiliation? Is that your issue with this?”

“No,” Sakuma said hastily and emphatically, “The fact that it’s with a man is the main problem.”

“But you’re also feeling humiliated.” _And it’s a big issue for you, else you wouldn’t have brought it up immediately and before the fact that I’m male._

“Obviously.”

Miyoshi clicked his tongue in annoyance. “No, it isn’t obvious at all, as I cannot see why you’d consider this humiliating.”

Sakuma turned to face him, looking incredulous. “Are you serious? I just-”

“We can debate the immorality or dishonor of this, if you will, but _humiliation_? There was no audience mocking you, you didn’t have to beg or even do anything and you’re certainly not the one dirty right now.” He lifted the offending hand to Sakuma’s eye level and rolled his eyes when the man flinched.

“You say there wasn’t an audience mocking me, yet there is you.”

“If I’m mocking anything, it’s your ridiculous reluctance in doing something so natural.”

That shut Sakuma up for a moment, though Miyoshi could tell by his body language that he still had more to say, so stared at him quietly until he did.

Finally, again not looking at Miyoshi, Sakuma asked, “Did I pass the test?”

“Yes. Despite the senseless indoctrinated principles and other concerns you harbor, you did well. And you get bonus points for coming to me.”

Sakuma blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting to be praised after his behavior.

“Go on now,” Miyoshi motioned towards the door behind Sakuma, “I’m going to retake my bath, and I doubt you’re planning to join me.”

He paused, and watched with amusement the speed with which Sakuma turned around and aimed for the door.

“One more thing,” Miyoshi said, just as Sakuma had half opened it. “You aren’t aware of it yet, but D-Agency training involves control of everything. From the very recesses of our minds to our every biological reaction.” He smiled. “So the fact that I’m not aroused right now… means nothing.”

Sakuma stiffened and left without another word.

Chuckling, Miyoshi returned to his shower, reflecting on all the new information he had acquired.

First of all, clearly Lt. Col. Yuuki hadn't sent Kaminaga to ensure their safety, or to peruse the perimeter, but to deliver news he knew would make Sakuma more pliable to Miyoshi’s ideas.

Meaning, the man had foreseen Sakuma’s reactions, as well Miyoshi’s desire to test his resolve.

Miyoshi was hardly surprised: it was the sort of forethought he expected from Lt. Col. Yuuki.

Except…

_Sending Kaminaga here would then mean he assumed I’d fail on my own. Or if not fail, push Sakuma too far._

Miyoshi felt slightly ashamed at himself for it. To think he’d already risked a mistake, too caught up in his own selfish desire to test Sakuma’s resolve that he’d been chastised for it-

_No, was I really chastised? Lt. Col. Yuuki could have simply sent Kaminaga here earlier, and summoned me back, to avoid my doing anything at all. Instead he aided me. Therefore, am I being allowed to play with Sakuma, so long as I take more heed of his mindset?_

That realization didn’t make things completely fine: Miyoshi would rather not have needed any aid at all. But at least it appeased him somewhat, knowing he was being allowed to continue as he saw fit. He’d take better care to not let personal amusement cloud his judgement again.

Still, he was mildly surprised that the news had worked so easily on Sakuma. He’d assumed the man would balk at such actions for longer.

In truth Miyoshi had begun wondering why Lt. Col. Yuuki would have sent such a stubborn _mule_ on a mission he clearly was mentally unprepared for. He had started to think maybe the objective was to set Sakuma up for failure…

It was now clear that wasn’t it, and Lt. Col Yuuki had simply known Sakuma to be malleable than he seemed.

Miyoshi felt some minor relief at that, and frowned at himself. He’d grown slightly attached, interested as he was in Sakuma’s progress. He’d have to rectify that.

Although now he was curious: why was Sakuma so easily adaptable to something he’d been so earnestly fighting against minutes before? The difference in attitude was glaring.

And now he’d also had to factor in Sakuma’s exacerbated belief in his humiliation. He’d have to tone down his mockery somewhat to get future results from Sakuma. He’d be careful not to tease him too much about his performance in other sexual activities.

And speaking of which…

He could wait until they were back in D-Agency or even longer. Often, he wouldn’t need to wait at all, as he’d usually feel nothing.

However, he’d have utter privacy, for once. Not that he still required that, but it was a nice change of pace. Moreover, Sakuma _had_ been fun.

And so, without hesitation, Miyoshi’s hand circled his cock as he conjured the sensation and sound of Sakuma trying to hold back on his pleasure.

*

Sakuma sat at the table, head in his hands, trying to calm his inner turmoil.

It would have been easier if Miyoshi had been bad at it. But of course, he’d been excellent, and certainly the best Sakuma ever had at doing such things with only his hand.

_Imagine how good he is with his m-_

His heart sank at where his own thoughts led, and knew he’d have no respite from such from now on. He’d barely held back from crushing Miyoshi’s sculpted body into him and biting down on his neck.

He half regretted choosing Miyoshi, but…

_“Any of the others would want to test you similarly, too.”_

In spite of everything, Sakuma believed him, since Jitsui had hinted at such the day before. Still, he wondered if maybe his body would have had a harder time betraying him if it had been someone other than Miyoshi.

He shuddered at the implications of that; the stress was surely taking its toll and making him overthink things.

Stress now aided by a sense of guilt and heightened fear. He couldn’t afford to reveal his sexuality to Miyoshi, yet his lie about it led to Miyoshi doing things to him the spy clearly didn’t find any amusement in. That gave way to guilt, and fear of the added punishment the needless trouble would result in should Miyoshi figure him out.

That Miyoshi had implied he was simply controlling his own reaction barely registered; it seemed simply as another attempt to rile him.

He had to end this mission as quickly as possible. For his own sake, and the sake of the men and women who were being murdered like flies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This chapter may be a little shorter but in light of the focus of this fic, I wanted feedback on the scene that warranted the E rating before continuing. Though more than this might take a few chapters to happen. 
> 
> *Miyoshi has been stated by canon to be narcissistic.


	6. Chapter 6

Miyoshi didn’t take long to come out of the bathroom again, and Sakuma was simply relieved the man has at the least the basic decency to do so already fully clothed. That was basic etiquette he had insisted even his lovers have while in his apartment, and he’d certainly have enforced it with Miyoshi.

“You’ve already taken care of the futons,” Miyoshi said when he noticed their absence. “Were you trying to occupy your mind or leave faster? Or did you think I’d be the type to not do my share of work? Or maybe it’s all of those?”

Sakuma was glad that his back was to Miyoshi while he finished folding his sleeping clothes, as he furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance that Miyoshi had immediately seen right through him. Well, almost.

“The first two,” he admitted through gritted teeth and turned his head to see Miyoshi heading towards the bentos Kaminaga had left behind. “I don’t understand why you thought I’d have assumed the third.”

He went and sat at the table as he watched Miyoshi, back turned to him, move around his kitchen. Disturbingly, Sakuma noticed how Miyoshi managed to find the chopsticks in his first try. _No, he didn’t try at all; he already knew where they were._

It was, truly, a miracle he had no lubricant in the place, or else Miyoshi would have found it by now.

“Your bathroom is western style but you don’t bother to keep at least one set of western cutlery?” Miyoshi asked, amused, as he opened the drawer containing the set of cups.

“The bathroom came as it is with the apartment.”

“For shame. None of your women ever complained about the lack of a more western touch anywhere else? Were they not around enough to have a say in this?”

“Maybe I simply removed any traces of them after the breakup,” Sakuma retorted with more feeling than he should, annoyed that Miyoshi had hit the mark again.

He hadn’t been with anyone for enough days to warrant their opinion in the place. His relationships could hardly be called that, to begin with.

His partners always turned...dull, fast, and not at all worth the stress, care and moral guilt such relationships brought on.

And as his standing in the Army grew along with their indoctrination, the thought of a relationship soon soured all together, easily helped by the fact he’d never experienced anything akin to what people described as love.

Most likely, desires such as his never could result in love, since they were depravities.

“Lieutenant?”

Sakuma flinched, realizing he had retreated into his own thoughts. Not only was it impolite, but it had been in front of someone as dangerous as Miyoshi.

“I apologize, I just...remembered something unpleasant.”

“It’s only expected that some relationships didn’t end well,” Miyoshi acknowledged, now sitting opposite Sakuma and pushing a bento towards him. “Though this place’s bareness doesn’t seem to be from that.”

Sakuma wanted to know how he could tell, but he didn’t want Miyoshi pressing deeper into the topic, so chose to change the subject instead.

“You still haven’t answered me, why did you suggest I think you’d be unhelpful?”

“I’ve been told I have the air of a spoiled rich brat who had servants to wait on him,” Miyoshi said lightly, paying attention to his food. He was smiling a little, but the expression still felt like a mask.

“Well, notwithstanding the way with which you carry yourself, you always tidy up your bed neatly and so far I don’t think I’ve seen you skimp on any chores in D-Agency. As far as I’m concerned, you do carry your own weight.”

“But maybe I only do because Lt. Col. Yuuki wills it?”

Sakuma snorted. “He doesn’t set a curfew,” he said indignantly, “And tells people off for bowing if they’re wearing suits. I doubt he enforces tidiness much, if at all. Besides, even if he did, couldn’t you just bribe one of the others into doing your work for you? That sounds like something you all do.”

Miyoshi’s smile seemed more genuine now. “You’re starting to pick up on how we do things.”

“Yes, it looks like you offer each other favors or information in exchange of the same.”

“You don’t approve.”

“I understand doing such exchanges sometimes, but all the time feels…cold. How do you build ties with them based on a relationship that relies on always gaining something?”

“Simply, we don’t base our ties to each other on how much we’re willing to do for free.”

Sakuma decided to focus on eating rather than reply again, he felt Miyoshi was getting annoyed.

“Were you perhaps wondering if you could offer anything for my silence?” Miyoshi asked eventually.

Sakuma didn’t need to ask which matter they were talking about.

“I did consider it as I was putting the futons away,” he admitted, “but I realized it wouldn’t end well.”

“How so?”

“For one thing, you’d likely ask for something equally… indecent as a price.”

Miyoshi chuckled. “I would have, yes.”

“I thought as much,” Sakuma said with a tired sigh, “not to mention, you’d probably be angry with me just for asking it.”

“Oh?”

“You were annoyed that I found.. _.it_ humiliating, don’t act now like you’d be fine if I went on to ask you to hide it from the others. And I suppose if I’m going to be doing...other sexual things with you from now on, I might as well get used to them knowing what I've had to do.”

“I don’t deny it either. Considering the mission we’re now in, if you couldn’t so much as allow the others to know that you were jerked off-”

Sakuma nearly broke his chopsticks with the way his hands squeezed them.

“-for the sake of our objective, it wouldn’t bode well for the future. It’s good that you’ve understood that. Now we just need to practice on your reaction every time someone says something remotely sexual.”

“Is the crassness really necessary?”

“You’re telling me none of your Army colleagues were crude, ever?”

“...I certainly told them off if they went too far, but what they spoke of wasn’t immoral behavior.”

“Your definition of what isn’t ‘too far’ is likely limited to five words and two euphemisms. Regardless, there is one other thing you should have considered in your reasoning: what the others would do.”

“And that is?”

“Figure it out yourself.”

Sakuma tried not to sigh in frustration. _Just what would the others spies do if Miyoshi told them nothing happened? Would they even ask about that if Miyoshi didn't volunteer the information?_

_Wait, to begin with they expected him to test me, so they’d most likely ask if he did. And if he lied…_

_Oh no._ “Would they have taken it upon themselves to test me?”

Miyoshi’s smile was wide and possibly dangerous. “It seems honesty is the best policy, this time.”

Trying to not think of what the others would have done to him, Sakuma stood up, grabbed his finished bento and reached for Miyoshi’s.

Miyoshi pulled it away from his reach and also stood up.

“I carry my own weight, according to you,” he said with amusement. “I’d rather keep the one positive image you have of me, so I’ll take care of it myself.”

 _I didn’t think you cared what I thought of you. And if I think badly, it’s your own fault_ , Sakuma thought as both cleared away the tablet, but the annoyance was quickly replaced with some guilt, which he quickly tried to smother. _He’s not the victim here!_

With that done it was, finally, time to leave. Before doing so, Sakuma tried to use what Jitsui had taught him, to make sure he’d know if someone entered his apartment in his absence. Hair was still difficult to place, and Sakuma didn't have extra dust handy either, so he settled with breaking some aspirin and placing it close to the door.

Miyoshi looked on silently, but Sakuma took it as a good sign that he wasn’t laughing.

The corridor was mercifully empty when they exited. Sakuma glanced at Miyoshi as they left the building and stared; something was different.

It wasn’t the rumpled clothing. The very air about him had changed. His posture was less self-assured, his step more uncertain. But more than anything, his expression was open.

 _So this is… Mio again? He hasn’t called me anything, so we aren't being observed…_ “Do you always act like the character of a mission whenever possible?”

Still maintaining his façade, Miyoshi replied. “We’re expected to be the character constantly, unless it’s necessary for the mission that we stop. It avoids unnecessary mistakes.”

“...I’m not sure how to do that. I mean, my character-”

“Understandable.” Miyoshi’s face was the very picture of contentment and fondness, and he watched Sakuma speak as if drinking his words, and spoke in turn with a touch of patience despite having interrupted him.

It made Sakuma’s hair stand on end. He wasn’t so sure he was going to like Mio, though he couldn’t explain why.

“Yours is a special case,” Miyoshi was still explaining, “You’re going on the field with little to no training so we had to adjust things accordingly. In the future, your characters will be detailed completely and fleshed out.”

“I see. Speaking of this case, I was wondering…”

“Yes?”

“From what I’ve gathered… is the mastermind behind this using prostitutes to gather intel?”

Miyoshi -no, Mio- beamed in return, but the words were still Miyoshi’s.

“Just for gathering intel?”

Sakuma blinked at him. “What? Wait, you mean they also have a hand in these murders?!”

“Quite ingenious, really. Society can’t conceive women doing such things, so they get away with suspicious activity men wouldn’t notice.”

“But, how have women managed to sneak up on and overpower army men enough to kill them? I know at least one was strangled. How did they manage that? And if D-Agency already knows what to look for, then why-“

“Prostitutes can be very elusive. They’ll protect each other from outsiders, and gossip avidly. And it’s not as if _most_ are tied to these murders. Ultimately, we need to tread carefully, lest we ask a question too forward and news of our snooping reaches whom it shouldn’t and our trail disappears.

“Spy work, if done diligently, is slow and careful to show results. We need to first build a solid backstory for our disguises and minutely study the target and the surroundings before actively attempting to reach for a result. Even if it takes months, or years. Only very extenuating cases, such as Gordon’s and now this one, force us to act without first ensuring we have a solid story to fall back on.

“Right now, most of the others are working on gaining the women’s trust, as well as unraveling how deep or strong their network is. You and I have the objective of diverting the mastermind’s attention so that the others are allowed to move in faster and riskier ways to dismantle said network.”

“So our goal isn’t to catch whoever is ordering these murders?”

Miyoshi shrugged. “Not exactly; that is ancillary to our mission. We were ordered by the General Staff Office to cease the killings. That will be done when we cut down the network. The one behind this will be powerless without it and besides, even we take the mastermind down, depending on what motivates this, and their underlings might simply attempt to proceed without them.”

 _Why are we assuming there is only one person at the helm of this? And how are they going to stop the women?_ Sakuma swallowed thickly. Would the D-Agency go on a murder spree of their own? Well, if they did, it served those women right, for what they’d done. And another question he had had for more than a day now was-

“Don’t ask me anything else today,” Miyoshi said, reading his expression, “I’ve overindulged you as it is.”

“I suppose. Thank you.” He certainly had spoken more than usual. Sakuma wondered if maybe that was part of his Mio disguise. But Mio shouldn’t know any of this, so why would he use Mio to explain things to Sakuma?   

“Hm. As for your earlier question regarding how women could have managed to get to the soldiers…I’ll tell Odagiri to hand you what we’ve compiled of each death. It includes the ones not released to the general public. See if you can glean something from them.”

“Thank you.”

*

In the Army College, gossip of the embarrassing nature tended to spread like wildfire, and you could tell when it had done so. The sniggering, the mocking faces and silent laughter behind ones back was clear.

Sakuma never participated, of course. It was unbecoming of the future men of the Imperial Japanese Army, and unnecessarily cruel.

He was never a victim of it either. He’d been too careful about his private life for that, because he knew his secrets would warrant more than mockery.

He assumed D-Agency would be more dignified about it, but still worse, somehow. Later he would come to the conclusion this assessment was entirely incorrect.

There was no one in the kitchen when he and Miyoshi arrived, which made Sakuma wonder if they were all out on business.

He was wrong, and they found the rest all in their quarters.

Sakuma blinked when he entered; the spies had taken two beds and pushed them together, and were now sitting in a circle on them. Tazaki was arranging cards.

They barely looked up as Sakuma and Miyoshi entered.

“Oh good, you’re on time,” Hatano said, glancing at Miyoshi. “Come here so we can get started.”

“You’re playing at this hour in the morning?” Sakuma asked, confused.

Kaminaga shrugged. “We’ll be busy in the afternoon and night, and afterwards some of us will be off to our various missions, so right now is the last free period we have with everyone gathered here.”

“Would you like to join us, Lieutenant?” Miyoshi asked, but by the way he was smiling, he already knew the answer.

“No, thank you. I don't plan on joining you in Joker Game when I know how badly I’ll fare.”

“We won’t be playing that,” Miyoshi stated, making Sakuma frown.

“How do _you_ know that?”

“Because there is only one game that is more practical to play like this.” Miyoshi motioned to the beds.

Sakuma didn’t like the sound of that, but he was curious. “...I think I’ll pass, nonetheless. I’ll go speak to Lt. Col. Yuuki and see if he has anything for me. If he doesn’t, may I watch?”

“He doesn’t,” Hatano said. “You and Miyoshi have the morning reserved to pack for your missions, but we’ve gone and done that for you.” He glanced at Sakuma alone when he said the last word, making it clear only Sakuma’s things had needed to be packed for him.

Sakuma wasn’t too disgruntled about it. Packing for a mission was something he’d already witnessed before in D-Agency, and he’d seen how seriously it was taken. It wasn’t about what Sakuma would like to take, but what he needed and what his disguise wanted. As such, he could see why the spies would take it upon themselves to do the chore for him.

Still, the cautious side of him suggested he check what was packed later, just in case.

“So you’re free to watch us,” Hatano went on to say, and his smile was almost a leer. “ _Do_ sit down and get comfortable.”

 _How can they possibly make me regret watching? Heckle me while they play?_ He was still interested enough in seeing the game to give in.

He pulled up a stool and dragged it so he was by the said of the two beds, with a decent view of most of them.

Miyoshi watched him sit down and, when he did, walked over to the players. Jitsui looked at Fukumoto, who glanced at Odagiri.

Space was opened for Miyoshi to place himself...directly facing Sakuma. It was obvious they had a reason for that, yet Sakuma couldn’t imagine why. Miyoshi looked mildly amused at the position but didn’t say anything.

“What are the rules?” Sakuma asked as the cards were distributed.

“We receive a hand of seven cards,” Miyoshi explained, “and on our turn we take a card from the player to our left. If we make a pair, we discard it.”

Sakuma nodded. It sounded normal, so far.

“A player loses if they discard the whole hand, or are left with only the joker card.”

“...Hold on, if discarding is bad, why would anyone admit to having a- _ah_ , I see. So, what happens if you don’t discard a pair you have?”

This time, Fukumoto spoke, for once. “If a player feels another is holding onto a pair they should have discarded, they can ask that person to show their hand. If the accusation is correct, the accused player must discard their hand and take half the number of cards they had from the remaining deck.”

_So, it might not be worth it to lie. But how would others know the hand each other has? This time, all of them are playing, so would they cheat by forming alliances with each other and revealing their hands?_

“But if the accusation is false, the accused discards the whole hand but can take an equal amount of cards from the deck, while the accuser will have to discard half his cards.”

_So accusing can be tricky too._

“Also,” Jitsui was the one speaking now, “if you do discard a pair, you’re allowed to choose any player and take up to four of their cards, if you’re able.”

 _And with that, discarding could still be better than trying to lie_. “If they’re able?”

Jitsui smiled kindly at Sakuma, which for some reason unsettled him greatly.

“I’m sure it’ll be easier if you see it happening.”

The game started.

Quickly, it became clear Sakuma’s supposition had been correct; they were outrageously cheating.

Initially he wasn’t sure who to or what they were signaling, yet it was clear that they were. Now that Sakuma had spent more time with them, he knew they weren’t the sort to fidget or move much, but now even Fukumoto had, in five minutes of playing, adjusted his lapels twice.

But the signals seemed to change. From his position, Sakuma could see Tazaki’s hand, and the man received first a four of spades, then a three of clubs yet both times drummed his fingers on his thigh. Meaning, either the signal wasn’t about the card he’d gotten, or he was signaling different people.

Begrudgingly, Sakuma had to admit it was fascinating, to watch them manage to so quietly maintain this level of dialogue so quietly.

It might even be fun to be able to join them someday.

“Pair,” Hatano said eventually, putting down the cards and turning his half lidded eyes to Tazaki. “We need to show the Lieutenant how this goes, so I’m choosing you, since he’ll be able to see both of us and what we do very clearly from where he is.”

An obvious lie; even Sakuma had managed to grasp Hatano had an alliance with Jitsui, who was the one Tazaki had to take cards from. Jitsui had likely managed to tell Hatano what Tazaki’s hand looked like at the moment.

However...it was true that Tazaki and Hatano were directly opposite of each other, and given one was on the right and the other to the left of Sakuma’s chair, he would indeed be able to see whatever went on in the exchange quite clearly

Tazaki simply smiled, eyes twinkling. “I’m sure.”

“Watch closely, Lieutenant,” Miyoshi said smiling.

Hatano put his cards face down on the bed and crawled until he was sitting directly in front of Tazaki, who now had his hand near his chest, but not touching it.

“Incidentally, it’s forbidden to place the cards against yourself in this exchange,” Hatano said for Sakuma’s benefit. “He needs to have it in a way I can grab the cards without touching him.”

Before Sakuma could even begin to wonder why, Hatano placed one hand on Tazaki’s shoulder and-

Sakuma felt every muscle in his body contract as he watched Hatano kiss Tazaki.

It wasn’t even an innocuous kiss; after one second their mouths moved in a way that made it clear tongues were involved.

Horrified and reeling, Sakuma tried tearing his eyes away from the utter obscenity of it by focusing on the cards between them.

He looked just in time to see Hatano grab a card from Tazaki’s hand.

_Oh._

He desperately focused on those hands and watch as Hatano reached out for another card.

Sakuma flinched since even without looking directly at it, he could tell Hatano had just deepened the kiss, if that was even possible.

His fingers almost reached for the intended card, but Tazaki’s free hand shot out and grabbed them.

To Sakuma’s eternal relief, the kiss stopped immediately.

Hatano returned to his place and smiled at Sakuma. “Did you understand what went on, Lieutenant?”

He wanted to storm out, to leave these licentious people before he was forced to witness more of such behavior.

Before reproach gave way to want.

Because for a fleeting second, watching the two, something inside Sakuma had wished he was playing, too.

But he knew they didn’t care about his opinion, and as such leaving them would only lower his standing with the group yet again, and give them even more cause to mock him.

“You try to take cards while distracting the person,” Sakuma managed to grit out, “but you have to stop if they catch you in the act.”

“Pretty much,” Hatano said, licking his swollen lips, “anything you want to ask?”

“Did you have to do that or would any form of distraction work?”

“Oh, when we’re really bored we step it up and allow distractions _beyond_ just kissing.”

_This is the height of impropriety._

_I shouldn’t want to join them._

“What do you think?” Hatano’s smile was the height of innocence. Sakuma wanted to punch it.

Sakuma fisted his hands and opened his mouth to lecture them, to yell and berate until someone saw some sense.

However, his eyes momentarily strayed to Miyoshi.

Miyoshi’s expression was impassive, but he raised one eyebrow when Sakuma looked at him.

_Nothing I say will dissuade them, all I’ll do is look like a fool._

Sakuma drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly to clear his head. He tried to get past the years of a strict moral code pounded into him, as well as his own secret desires on the matter, searching for a logical outlook on this.

Finally, he said, “I think this is the most _vulgar_ game I’ve witnessed. Sitting in a circle and doing something that should be an intimate act with various men for the sake of cards is...something I cannot come to terms with easily.”

He could taste the amusement and disapproval in the air. Miyoshi’s face was a blank mask now. But Sakuma wasn’t done.

“However,” he said, and felt the attention on him double “I...can see the use of this, for a spy. You’ve simply turned training into a game. Therefore, even if I’m still unable to get past how unseemly this is, I acknowledge I can’t have an outburst about it.”

His words were met with silence. Sakuma hated how his eyes yet again turned to Miyoshi. This time, he was not looking at Sakuma, but down at his cards.

The corner of his lips were pulled upwards a little

“Well now,” Kaminaga said with a chuckle, and it was as if a spell was broken, and the rest shifted their focus to the game again, resuming it. “First he punched a man to protect his male lover, now he’s saying things like this. What did you do to him, Miyoshi?”

Miyoshi, still not looking up from his cards, took a strand of hair behind his head in a way Sakuma had figured out to be a signal to Fukumoto.

“Pair. Kaminaga,” Jitsui called, and drew closer to his chosen player. It might have been Sakuma’s imagination, but Kaminaga looked almost apprehensive about it.

Jitsui’s free hand grasped the back Kaminaga’s hair with such strength that Sakuma could see it must hurt from his position. And indeed, Kaminaga made a small strangled sound at the back of his throat before smashing their mouths together as if to muffle the sound.

“He’s not so hopeless,” Miyoshi said, replying despite the fact that Kaminaga was clearly in no situation to pay attention, “he’s starting to understand the gravity of the mission and adjusting accordingly.”

Sakuma managed to wrench his sight away from what looked like small, frail like Jitsui overpowering Kaminaga to look at Miyoshi.

Miyoshi had come the closest he possibly could to praising him.

With a sound Sakuma would rather not think about, Jitsui let go of Kaminaga, holding the four cards he was allowed to take.

“That’s fine and all,” Hatano drawled, while Kaminaga looked like he’d just been mauled, “but we can’t assume things will go well on so little. How did you assess him?”

Sakuma felt his heart sinking. _So here it comes._

“Odagiri, show us your hand,” Fukumoto called out, and Odagiri ducked his head but revealed a hand containing a pair of fives and had to discard it.

As Odagiri retrieved half the number of cards from the card pile, Miyoshi shrugged.

“I’ve evaluated him to be capable of going.”

Sakuma blinked; had Odagiri just hesitated as he took the cards?

“Miyoshi, I asked how, not if,” Hatano said, voice suddenly too friendly.

“I heard you. And I don’t appreciate it. Are you questioning my methods?”

The others were now definitely only acting like they weren’t paying attention, Sakuma decided, though he wasn’t too focused on them, confused that it seemed like Miyoshi wasn’t going say what they’d done that morning.

“Of course not, I just want the details.”

“This mission is long enough as it is. As it stands, my report will be a hassle to write. If you want to add to my troubles go and ask Lt. Col. Yuuki to include the method of assessing my partner in the list of things to expand on.”

Had Miyoshi’s earlier talk about Sakuma needing to take it in stride that such things would be said just to mock him? No, that wasn’t just it.

Miyoshi, Sakuma was beginning to realize, was treating him on the basis of punishment and reward. When Sakuma acted in any way Miyoshi disagreed with, Miyoshi would step over him, trick him and enforce his interests. But it seemed that whenever Sakuma did something right he received a reward by Miyoshi being lenient and allowing things to go his way.

_When I refused his invitation to interact with them, he invited me to a game I didn’t know I was even playing. When I responded to that by being offensive, he tricked me into killing myself. But when I managed to figure things out then, he almost praised me and stopped his vendetta._

_He agreed to close his eyes while he touched me because I came to him willingly, and now he’s refusing to say what he did because I didn’t cause a scene over their games._

_...Being treated on the basis of punishment and reward, does he think I’m a dog?_

Even if that was so, Sakuma couldn’t be too angry. If he was right, perhaps Miyoshi might be easier to understand than he’d first assumed.

“Very well then,” Hatano said, and the subject was abruptly dropped.

The game continued without unnecessary chatter.

For the next few turns, Sakuma didn’t notice anything wrong. Two people were forced to show their hands but, overall, the spies seemed fine with discarding their hands and going through the indecent behavior. He hated it, especially the conflicting feelings he had about it, so he tried to focus on an analytical observation of the messy affair, and it wielding some results.

For one thing, there was more to do than simply attempt to stop someone from stealing your cards while being distracted. More than once Sakuma saw some surreptitiously change card position while kissing, so that the person would take the very card the other wanted gone. Tazaki was an excerpt at that.

Meanwhile, not even stoic Fukumoto seemed to like picking Jitsui, who was proficient in the art of quickly grabbing cards while distracting his partner in some unholy mess of pain and pleasure he seemed to mete out by biting, hair pulling and at one point even nearly choking the others.

The other person with a fast hand was Hatano. Interestingly, he also seemed to be the only one who could withstand Jitsui, and even look eager to it, though he still ended up with a bloodied lip.

Meanwhile, Amari and Kaminaga weren’t reluctant to participate in it, but acted more cold and professional about it than the others.

Odagiri and Fukumoto had also seemed unimpressed by the mechanics, though Fukumoto did take an uncomfortable amount of time to finally try and take a card from Odagiri when they were partnered up. Sakuma supposed they were being cautious.

He tried to not focus too much on Kaminaga and Tazaki, both of which had the looks Sakuma tended to be attracted to. It wouldn’t normally be an issue, but the situation was anything but.

And then there was Miyoshi.

Miyoshi, the bastard, kept his eyes open whenever he had to kiss someone in an angle that allowed to him to look at Sakuma while doing it.

He was most likely simply gauging Sakuma’s reaction since he and Sakuma would likely have to do it in the future, but with how unreadable he was, Sakuma was having a hard time not feeling like was being invited to join in on the activities.

Clearly, his immoral instincts were taking over his mind, so Sakuma began resolutely looking anywhere but Miyoshi, despite still feeling his gaze trained on him.

It might have been because of that, but soon Sakuma noticed something was wrong.

Miyoshi was losing, fast.

Sakuma hadn’t been able to pick up when it had begun, but now he could see Miyoshi signalling less and less, and others doing the same to him.

The others were breaking off their allegiance with him, for some reason.

Sakuma frowned, wondering what was it that might have caused this disagreement. One glance at Hatano and he realized it: they were refusing to help him because he didn’t answer the question.

He couldn’t believe it. They had all acted disinterested when Hatano was being insistent, but were punishing him how. So, there really _was_ a methodology to how they did things as a group: one would be designated the spokesperson while the rest simply followed through. Like with the Joker Game and Gordon, most spies would then look like simple uninvolved observers while secretly going along with everything.

Really, Sakuma knew that as spies they had to be good at that, but it still galled him.

He looked at Miyoshi, who didn’t look at all perturbed by his fast approaching loss. Then again, it was just a stupid game…

...Except with them, it probably wasn’t.

“Is there a penalty for whoever loses first?” Sakuma sked.

For the first time in a while, with the exception of the kissing, Miyoshi looked from his cards and gave a Sakuma a mildly annoyed glance before schooling his features again.

_He’s annoyed that I mentioned it? It’s obvious by now anyway._

“Whoever loses,” Odagiri said, “has to pay for everyone’s dinner.”

That sounded...extremely normal. There were eight of them, so it would be a drain on anyone’s finance, but it wasn’t something humiliating at least.

“If I recall, you also lost a game, Lieutenant,” Jitsui pointed out mildly.

“I don’t remember agreeing to a penalty and besides, I was playing poker, not the joker game like you were and much less whatever this is.”

With that settled, the game continued. Sakuma didn’t really pity Miyoshi’s situation; the loss was clearly not a weighty deal. Though it also didn’t make him feel vengeance was served for his own loss, as Miyoshi was in the situation to help him.

And it annoyed him that the others were at it again.

An idea came to him that he couldn’t fathom ever cogitating even a day ago.

He looked at Miyoshi again. Even if he went ahead with what he’d just thought, it didn’t necessarily mean the others would stop setting him up for loss.

It was fine, Sakuma simply wanted the situation to go according to his wishes and against what the rest expected, for once.

He hoped Miyoshi didn’t take it as a slight to his generosity.

“Pair, Miyoshi,” Hatano called.

Miyoshi only had three cards, if Hatano managed to grab them, Miyoshi was through.

It would be the ideal time for impact.

As Hatano approached him, again Miyoshi turned to look at Sakuma. Since he didn’t know any signals and no one but Miyoshi was focused on him, Sakuma wordlessly mouthed what he was about to do.

He watched as Miyoshi’s face rapidly changed from confusion to disbelief to a bright eyed expression Sakuma thought might be excitement and he was sincerely glad it didn’t last more than a moment before Miyoshi wiped any emotion from his features, because it made Sakuma’s stomach churn in a way he didn’t want to think about.

Others noticed the expressions too, and glanced at Sakuma before looking back at the two.

Miyoshi, now smiling slightly, didn’t wait for Hatano to close the distance and kissed him.

Sakuma watched Hatano’s hand. It lifted itself and hovered for a moment, poised to strike…

“If you’re that curious,” Sakuma said, “he used his hands.”

It was worth saying it for their reactions.

Heads turned to him so sharply he could hear the necks almost snapping. At least three of them fumbled and nearly lost the grip on their cards.

Hatano choked into the kiss and nearly jerked his head away, but Miyoshi kept it firmly in place as his own hand managed to grab Hatano’s, which had stilled just as it had grabbed the first card.

With a wet sound Sakuma wished he hadn’t heard, Miyoshi let go of Hatano.

“Oh dear, it seems you weren’t able to grab any card at all,” Miyoshi said slyly.

Hatano completely ignored him, instead turning to Sakuma as he went back to his place.

His calculating gaze was disconcerting him, so Sakuma shrugged and explained, “you were all going to eventually going to hear about it anyway, so I might as well do it on my terms, for once.”

Hatano looked like he might say something, but Jitsui spoke before he could.

“Lieutenant,” he said pleasantly, “if you feel Hatano is bothering you too much, I have a ball gag I can lend you.”

He blinked, wondering if this was Jitsui’s way of praising him. However…

“Thank you. Though I’m not sure what type of gag that is.”

It became instantly clear he’d said something wrong. The mild expressions were all replaced by complete blankness, and Amari coughed as if to curb his laughter.

“Oh, I can _show_ you, Lieutenant, along with some other things,” Jitsui offered and there was a glint in his eyes that didn’t fit in with his innocent features.

“ _Jitsui, mach Hatano nicht eifersüchtig_ ,” Miyoshi quickly replied, in what Sakuma thought might be german, but couldn’t understand. To his frustration, the rest picked it up.

“ _Der Leutnant hat Glück dass Er nicht Jitsui ausgewählt hat_ ,” Kaminaga said with a small laugh and Sakuma’s hand twitched at how obviously he was being spoken about.

“ _Ich würde es nicht als Glück bezeichnen,_ ” Jitsui said quietly, which made Miyoshi glance at him sharply.

Amari sighed, glanced at Sakuma in what seemed like pity and turned to Miyoshi, “ _Bitte gehe sanft mit ihm Um, Miyoshi._ ”

Tazaki nodded. “ _Das hat Er sich verdient._ ”

Sakuma grit his teeth. “If you’re going to speak in another language so that I can’t understand what is being said, I’ll do you the favor of leaving so you can speak behind my back in _Japanese_.” It might be ideal to leave, anyway, before they began wanting more details.

Miyoshi flashed him a smile. “If you want to occupy yourself while we finish this, may I suggest going over the things I need to take? The others have probably left a selection for me to choose from to pack, but since it’s in your best interest that I wear things that please you, you can go select some of it.”

“I don’t think that’s going to work.”

“You’d be surprised at how much sense can leave an unknown impact,” Jitsui said. “Even unconsciously, smell and the feel of the one you are holding are tantamount. And when it comes to pleasure, where one will often close their eyes or simply dim the lights, your sight can become unimportant to your enjoyment.

“The feel of the person you are with, of their skin and their mouth, their smell, the fabric you hold onto or pry away from them, and the sounds you’re able to solicit. All of that takes center stage. With that, even if you know Miyoshi is a man, your body may be tricked into reacting as if he were a woman.”

 _If I can get my body to believe that, I might have an easier time controlling my reaction to him._ “I suppose that’s worth a try.”

*

There was a room dedicated to props. It was large, and probably had been a classroom at one point. In the middle stood eight tables, one for each spy, and each with luggage on it. Some were opened and half made, others were empty or already done.

One luggage, Odagiri’s, was halfway done and Sakuma noticed a military garb folded in it.

His blood ran cold. Was Odagiri going to infiltrate the military as a deviant? What if he ended up speaking with the people who knew about Sakuma?

_No, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I don’t know if that’s what he’ll be doing, much less if he’ll even be stationed here. No point in panicking about it now._

Sakuma’s luggage was under Miyoshi’s table; he supposed he’d only get one for himself when he was a full member of D-Agency.

He opened his luggage and gave it a glance, but wasn’t surprised to see everything in order. The spies were professionals before anything else; they wouldn’t have risked the mission by sneaking in something in Sakuma’s things that shouldn’t belong to his character. And since his character wasn’t unattached to himself, the clothing they’d given him was the same style as always.

They’d even gone and packed kimono, something Sakuma used to enjoy wearing in his downtime, before D-Agency.

Briefly, he wondered if that packing that was a coincidence, a study of his character or that they’d somehow gone through his past habits.

He pushed that away when he found three small vials hidden between two pieces of clothing. He wondered what they were but, knowing the sort of substances the spies handled he decided to leave them untouched until he could ask Miyoshi later, though he doubted it was anything too dangerous; the others wouldn’t trust him with anything like that.

Apart from that, there was nothing amiss about the luggage, which meant either they had hidden it so well Sakuma couldn’t find it despite looking for it, or they’ve simply not given him anything that a spy might need.

He felt it was probably the latter; Miyoshi was likely going to carry all the necessary equipment, and probably nothing for Sakuma.

Miyoshi had called him a partner earlier, but Sakuma was well aware he was nothing of the sort. He was simply a flashy toy to be waved at the target’s face to distract him while the real spies did their jobs.

He...didn’t mind it, really. Sakuma had pride, but he could self-assess himself truthfully enough to understand he wasn’t ready for this. He had no training at all. If Miyoshi wanted to take care of everything himself and simply order Sakuma to do the bare minimum lover act and nothing of the actual search...he’d understand. Not to say he wouldn’t be frustrated, but he’d follow any orders through. He knew he was already making it difficult as it was with his reluctance regarding sexual activities.

Sakuma wondered if Miyoshi wasn’t feeling any strain at all with this mission, underneath his implacable façade of calm self-assurance. Since the spies had all just graduated, this could likely be Miyoshi’s first mission far from headquarters, and he was being forced to go up against an unknown enemy that had no qualms about senseless murder, had their own network of underlings and was clearly intelligent. And he was having to do that while taking care of a complete amateur who fought him over every detail.

Truly, the fact that Miyoshi was taking it all in stride deserved his respect, even if it was thanks to his training.

Or maybe it was simply that Miyoshi hadn’t found a way to get rid of him yet.

He turned to Miyoshi’s opened luggage. Some things were already inside it, but Sakuma knew better than perturb whatever order had been put into it. He focused on what was lying on the table that he felt might have an impact on him.

First there was perfume or cologne. Sakuma didn’t even know if Miyoshi wore any at all normally.

Last night, with Miyoshi’s body pressed to him, Sakuma hadn’t smelled anything at all, not even sweat. And in the morning, when Sakuma had pressed himself against Miyoshi’s neck, the only scent was the subtle one of Sakuma’s soap.

He flinched at where his thoughts were straying, though he had seen it coming, considering the lascivious exhibit Miyoshi and the rest had been making of themselves just minutes before.

He decided to go for perfume rather than cologne, and began opening flasks to smell them.

He liked subtle scents, ones that were clean but that didn’t overpower the senses.

Naturally, he was now after any perfume that was strong, sickeningly sweet and reminiscent of women.

Surely that sort of female perfume on Mio, a prostitute, wouldn’t be amiss?

Except he wasn’t trying to pretend to be a woman, so maybe something that was too much like that would seem out of place.

But most likely their enemies wouldn’t reach the point of examining his perfume collection, much less smelling it on him.

He wasn’t even sure how many Miyoshi was supposed to take with him. How many would a prostitute own?

Not to mention, if he succeeded in grabbing a scent that completely disgusted him, that might jeopardize the mission.

Vexed by how ridiculous this seemed; trying to deeply examine the choice of perfume a disguise might use, Sakuma nearly gave up, but ultimately tried to plough on and picked three with a scent he had no interest in but didn’t seem too feminine nor were that distasteful to him.

With that settled, he turned to the pile of clothes and groaned.

It was some time later when he heard someone come into the room and turned to find Miyoshi closing the door and walking towards him.

Sakuma was, for the first since he’d been assigned to D-Agency, glad to see him.

Miyoshi took one look at his face and raised an eyebrow. “What’s distressing you, Lieutenant?”

“Having to choose, I’ve managed to pick perfumes and a kimono but the rest…”

Miyoshi, now next to Sakuma, looked at the pile that he’d been given to select from. “Is that so? There seems to be a wide variety here, is your usual taste not here?”

“That’s...not quite it.” Sakuma sighed. “You’ll laugh at me, but-”

Hearing his trouble trying to decide what would be best for the character and case, Miyoshi, as expected, chuckled. If he wasn’t being laughed at, Sakuma might have appreciated it more; Miyoshi’s face looked better laughing.

“Oh don’t look at me like that,” he said, quickly composing himself but still looking entertained, “I’m simply amused that you’d think such worries are a negative thing. You are _supposed_ to question every little thing, and be perfectly in character down to the last detail, never underestimating the enemy. If you had come in here and picked the first thing that pleased you, you wouldn’t make a very promising spy.”

Miyoshi paused, and leaned on the desk in a way that managed to not crinkled his suit while emphasizing his hips. He scrutinized Sakuma and for a moment something more intense than usual flashed in his eyes before they were back to revealing nothing.

“You’ve been doing well today. It seems, rather than be swallowed by misery, the adversity of your situation has only made you grow faster. That’s a necessity in this line of work.”

Sakuma, still awkward towards praise, absent mindedly scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

Miyoshi turned to what he’d selected and studied that. “You chose perfume, not cologne, yet nothing defined as very feminine?”

“I have no idea what male prostitutes like to wear, but I thought it would be...strange for someone seeking out a man to like the smell of a woman.”

“For one thing, society defines some trends as being for one sex or another, but that doesn’t mean people’s tastes always follow suit. Nonetheless, you’re right in that anything that brings to mind a woman wouldn’t be too wise on a male whore, unless his gimmick was to dress as the opposite sex, which isn’t Mio’s case. However...won’t this make it harder for you? I understand you want to help things remain in character, but the most pressing matter is getting you to go through with things.”

Sakuma almost felt guilty. Almost. “I think I’ll manage, or at least, I’ve never really paid that much attention to perfume before, so it wouldn’t really bring forth a strong image for me.”

“Suit yourself,” Miyoshi said airily and began picking his own clothes.

“Did you lose?” Sakuma couldn’t help asking.

Miyoshi smiled. “No. Hatano did, followed by Amari and Kaminaga. After that Fukumoto requested we continue later so he could start making lunch.”

Sakuma blinked. “So… people turned on Hatano? Why?”

“Ah, so you even noticed that going on. Good, we weren’t being too subtle today, it would have been worrying if you couldn’t catch it. Hatano lost the game because he couldn’t convince the others he deserved to win.”

“Why? He got the answer he wanted, didn’t he?”

“It’s a question of method. Whenever we have a challenge like that, getting the intended result alone isn’t enough; we have to convince the others with how we got them. Hatano wanted information out of me, I chose to not give it and, in the end, didn’t.

“Instead, Hatano got his answer from you, but it was clear to all involved he never planned for that. Meanwhile, you evidently said it to thwart my loss. The others were impressed and decided you won, and demonstrated that by reinstating alliances with me and cutting those with Hatano.”

“Even your promiscuous games are a tangle of politics.”

“Such are our missions.”

“I suppose.”

“Did you truly tell them I jerked you off just so I couldn’t lose a game? Do you think my finances are in such dire straits I need to be saved from paying dinner?”

Sakuma looked at Miyoshi; he didn’t seem to be mocking him, just joking.

“Not really, since I wasn’t even sure if that would get them to back you up again.”

Miyoshi didn’t seem bothered by it. “Then?”

“Just because you were refusing him at that moment didn’t mean you’d keep quiet forever. There was the possibility that they’d come pester me for information. And I took into consideration what you said this morning, about my needing to be able to at least say these things out loud. But also…”

“Hm?”

“It displeased me, the way they were playing, like you all played me, before. Understandable or no, I wanted act in an unexpected way. Even if it played into their hands, at least let it be on my terms for once.”

Miyoshi smiled again. He was packing a kimono that clearly was one size too large for him and would likely hide his muscles. Despite his lithe figure, he had a lot of them, which Sakuma had noticed that morning when he-

“Are you mad at me?” He asked hastily to get away from the memory.

“Why would I be?”

“I didn’t say it for you.”

“It would have been very strange, and foolish, to reveal something that bothers you so for the sake of helping me not lose a card game. I don’t want to be pitied over such a small thing, or at all.”

The last sentence had been said as mildly as the rest, but Sakuma detected a note of warning. _Pride, then. Of course he'd be prideful._

“And how bad was it, after I left?”

Miyoshi inclined his head and opened his his eyes wider to give him a perfectly crafted confused look Sakuma didn’t believe for even a second.

“Hatano, and the rest mocking me. And you joining in, most likely.”

“We don’t do much of that when you aren’t around,” Miyoshi said, and Sakuma snorted in disbelief. “We don’t, really. Teasing you is fun because you react to it so easily, and spout such nonsense, so doing so without you around is pointless. Although…”

The hesitant pause was there on purpose, and still Sakuma took the bait. “Although?”

“There was one comment, I suppose. Tazaki admitted my hands could do better magic tricks than his own, which resulted in a discussion on if it was my skills or any of their skill would have also sufficed. They did reconsider at the end, so no need to worry.”

Sakuma hissed. “What is it with you people and this constant desire to debase yourselves with such degenerate games?”

Miyoshi opened his mouth but for a moment said nothing, as if he was hesitating. “...Like I said, your reactions make it interesting. Learn to curb them and they’ll leave you be.”

“Years of moral teachings,” _and fear,_ “aren’t going to disappear simply because I’m being laughed at.” _No matter how attractive are the men offering to touch me._

“I know, which is why I’ve been patient.”

Before Sakuma could decide if he agreed or not, and if he should voice that opinion, the door opened.

“Lunch is ready,” Fukumoto said softly before disappearing again.

Sakuma sighed, assuming their teasing would continue anew now. Miyoshi smiled.

“Don’t worry. No one is going to risk upsetting you enough that you take it out on the plates or food. And Hatano can afford to wait until later.”

“...Why?”

“I’ve been told your schedule for this afternoon.” Miyoshi’s expression was impassive, but Sakuma could tell he was laughing inside. “It’s close combat with Hatano.”

Sakuma groaned. “How vengeful is he?”

“Not very. In fact, you’ll find that he likes to goad but not really harm. You won’t be troubled.”

Sakuma didn’t really believe that, but nodded anyway.

*

_“What is it with you people and this constant desire to debase yourselves with such degenerate games?”_

Miyoshi had almost agreed, for once.

Offering sexual services to someone in exchange of something, he could understand and readily agree to. But finding fun in fighting to be able to do such things needlessly to a person that needed to be convinced and wouldn’t be returning the favor was quite degrading.

Or so had been his thoughts on the matter before Sakuma.

Not that he was considering lowering himself enough to jerk him off again without a reason but… he was starting to understand the allure of it. Personally, he still overall disliked being treated like something disgusting, but he could no longer sincerely say he couldn’t understand why the others might consider it.

*

Lunch turned out to be as peaceful as promised, and Sakuma took his time, trying to delay the inevitable.

Looking around at the others, he wondered if what Miyoshi said about them wanting to protect the food from his wrath was at all true. It’s not as if he’d ever let his anger out through physical violence.

_“We’ll be busy in the afternoon and night, and afterwards some of us will be off to our various missions, so right now is the last free period we have with everyone gathered here.”_

Lt. Col. Yuuki had said the spies would need to spend long periods of time alone and away from each other.

Perhaps the real reason they had no intention of riling him up now was because they wanted to enjoy one last meal all together in peace.

It brought a pang to Sakuma’s heart. If he managed to become one of them, he’d grow closer to them, only to expect to not see some for months or years.

He assumed something in the training would prepare him for it. He hoped it would be soon, since if it hadn’t been for their attempted murder, he’d have found himself growing slightly attached to one or two of them.

*

“Odagiri, I believe you’re still in charge of the murder compilation?” Miyoshi asked, leaning against the counter and watching the now empty dining room save for him, Fukumoto and Odagiri.

Odagiri, helping Fukumoto wash the last dishes, nodded once in assent.

“If so, is it possible to hand it over to the Lieutenant when he’s done training with Hatano? I want to see if he can glean anything from it on his own.”

“Certainly. I’d do so, but I still haven’t filled in last night’s case, as I’m waiting for some last piece of information from Jitsui about how the murderer made contact with him. I’m afraid he’ll only have it by late tonight.”

 _Sakuma’s kind senior_. “Anything relevant about that one so far? If not, it’s not necessary to wait for that.”

“Well, he happens to be one of the men not falsely accused.”

_Oh?_

“Had he changed his habits recently?”

“No. Although it seems his desire of being a woman wasn’t too secret.”

 _Well, now._ Did the Lieutenant know? And if so, what would that mean about his character? Of course, he’d also known another victim, but that one had only been a fake deviant.

Statistics wise, it wouldn’t be improbable for Sakuma to have unwittingly struck a friendship with a deviant in the Army. However, Miyoshi wouldn't be very good at his job if he relied on what was probability only.

Did Sakuma know they were detailing who was set up or not? If he hadn’t realized it before, he’d do so when he read the files. If he’d been aware of his senior’s inclinations, he’d see no reason to keep it from D-Agency since they’d figure it out eventually. Unless he had something to hide. And if he claimed to not know...Miyoshi would have to judge if that was true or not.

He needed to be there as Sakuma analyzed the compilation.

Miyoshi considered his options. It would be suspiciously out of character for him to offer to take the compilation to Sakuma himself, especially after having just asked Odagiri to do it. Odagiri and Fukumoto would realize instantly that he was hiding something.

Miyoshi didn’t want anyone else knowing about this. If there was something more to Sakuma’s character yet to unearth…he wanted to be the first to do it.

“…No, I don’t think the information on this death is necessary. He should be able to come to some of the conclusions we did with what there is so far.”

*

To Sakuma’s relief, Miyoshi hadn’t been lying about Hatano; he wasn’t a hassle like Sakuma had expected.

Certainly, he didn’t hold back as he threw Sakuma to the ground for the fifth time, or got him in a leglock again, but Sakuma didn’t feel any malicious intent from it, or that Hatano was purposely hurting him more than necessary.

It seemed Hatano was impudent, but not vengeful or too unkind.

“Not bad,” Hatano said when Sakuma finally managed to apply his teachings to pry away his hold. “But your military background is both helping and hindering you.”

“Hindering?”

“You’ve been taught to instinctively use strength, so you’re having difficulty trying to stop me using technique.” Hatano huffed and put his hands behind his head. “Honestly, we have too little time to fix that, so the most I can do with one afternoon is show you _some_ possibilities for the most common moves and hope you’re quick enough on the uptake to get it right.”

“...I see. Thank you for your patience.”

“Hm? I was told to do this, you know.”

“Yes, but given how I made you lose earlier I expected you to be more intolerant with my failures.”

Hatano scrunched his nose. “Talking like that, I’m half expecting you to bow.”

Sakuma had, in fact, nearly done so out of instinct but had managed to refrain from it.

“Anyway, why would I get mad?” He grinned. “That was quite cheeky of you, admitting you got jerked off just so I could lose. Not bad.”

Sakuma felt his lips twitch upwards.

“Alright, so far I’ve shown you how technique can overpower strength, let me show you something else before we go over everything I’ve said again until you’ve mastered it.”

“Understood.”

“Relax your body, we’ll assume it’s a sneak attack.”

Sakuma complied. Hatano once again effortlessly threw him to the ground.

Sakuma was thrown on his back and not for the first time. However, this time Hatano then sat astride him, legs to either side of his thighs, and held his hands behind his head.

“Try to get up.”

Sakuma did, but while Hatano held his hands with one of his own, the other was on Sakuma's chest, and Hatano was throwing his whole weight into it, making it impossible for Sakuma to lift himself.

“See? This doesn’t require much technique, just that the difference in strength isn’t too big. Now, in this situation, you need to consider if the person is holding your hands with two of their own or just one.

“If it's with two, it means your attacker is holding you down until help arrives.”

Sakuma found himself surprisingly not as bothered by the position as he expected. He understood the necessity of considering that situation so he didn’t feel morally troubled by it liked he’d been with other subjects.

And while he was, a usual, worried that Hatano attempting to initiate anything, even for training, might threaten his secret, it didn’t feel as dangerous as usual.

Not that Hatano wasn’t a threat in general, or that he wasn’t good looking. Maybe Sakuma had finally started to become impervious to such situations after being continuously being exposed to them.

He tried to imagine Miyoshi on the same position, with those half lidded eyes and that expression that said he had you right where he wanted-

His body jolted as he tried to shy away from that imagery. Hatano took it as an attempt to free himself and simply tightened his hold.

“Hey, not until I’m done explaining. So, if someone holds you like this but using only one hand to hold your two like I am, it means they’re going to use the free hand kill or harm you. Possibly even sexually harass you.

“This isn’t really an ideal hold. At all. It’s quite easy to escape even if the person is stronger than you. However, it’s also the most common one. I suppose because it gives the attacker a sense of power. So, figure out how to escape without relying on strength. If you take too long, I’ll consider having my way with you.”

Sakuma nearly laughed. Oh this was one position he happened to know how to get out of.

With Hatano throwing his upper body forward and putting his strength there, his legs weren’t really pressing down on Sakuma’s. Rather than try to stand up, Sakuma bent his knees.

He had two options now. The first, which is what he tended to do in… the usual situation, would be to pry his legs from between Hatano’s and use them to switch their positions. But that might be too suspicious, and besides, Sakuma was looking forward to the other option.

Quickly, he retrieved one leg from beneath Hatano…

And aimed it squarely at his crotch.

Hatano jumped out of the way, standing up with a delighted grin.

“My, aiming at my groin...aren’t we playing dirty?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sakuma said, poker faced,  “I was aiming at your stomach and miscalculated.”

“ _Of course_ you were. Well, since hitting anyone there would be the most effective way to incapacitate them for a while, I’ll consider that a pass.”

Relieved Hatano wouldn’t be trying his patience by taking up that position again, Sakuma sat up.

“Before we continue,” Hatano said, crouching down and giving Sakuma his carefully blank face. “I have a question.”

“...Yes?”

“Why did you pick Miyoshi?”

 _Oh, this again_. “You have to agree to not tell anyone, and you have to answer a question of my own.”

“Ah, so that’s what you got out of the other two. Alright, I agree to it.”

Sakuma told him. Hatano’s half lidded eyes opened wide for a moment and he burst out laughing.

“That’s...just... _brilliant_.”

“Are you mocking me right now?”

“What?” Hatano composed himself, though the lazy expression was gone. “Not at all, it’s the best reasoning you could have come up with. So, what’s your question?”

“Tell me things I should keep in mind about Miyoshi to avoid conflict with him.”

“Ah. That. Well, for one thing, stop speaking ill of D-Agency in front of him. Don’t talk it or spies down, it’s one of the things that infuriate him the most.”

Which explained what he’d done to be tricked into cutting his own stomach.

“I...see.”

“No, you don’t. Out of us, only two _volunteered_ to join, and he was one of them.”

Sakuma blinked. He hadn’t known that.

As a matter of fact, all D-Agency spies had to agree to join; it would be pointless to have a spy that was unwillingly one. Still, The General Staff Office hadn’t simply gone around to recruiting by spreading pamphlets. They’d sent out carefully worded invitations for the various colleges and other universities Col. Lt. Yuuki had deemed might have potential spy material, and those institutions sent any men that fit whatever Col. Lt. Yuuki had described in the letter.

From the little that had been informed to Sakuma, initially the men weren’t told what they were being recruited for, simply that they had to attend a recruitment and, as training went on, things were explained and those without interest in it allowed to leave.

If two spies had volunteered, it meant they’d seen the invitations and willingly presented themselves, rather than need an order to do so.

“Who was the other one?”

“That’s not covered by the deal. With that in mind, you should now understand what I’ll say next: don’t threaten the mission either. And most of all, do _not_ try to degrade him in any way. That should do it.”

Sakuma sighed, the underlying fear that Miyoshi might try and do something else to him was coming back. “He must be loathing my participation in this, then.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I suppose you wouldn’t be able to tell, but he’s been quite kind to you. Well, compared to how kind he _usually_ is. Don’t ruin it and you might actually end this without getting too severely punished.”

Sakuma wasn’t too sure. He didn’t know Hatano well enough to say if the man would be willing to lie to his face or not, or if he was always privy to Miyoshi’s plans. What if Miyoshi was being kind simply because he’d already thought up a plan to get rid of Sakuma?

Thankfully, Hatano stood up again and told him to do the same so they could continue, and he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.

“Of course,” Hatano drawled, “If things seem too dire, you could always offer up your body, I think Miyoshi rather liked what he saw when you opened your shirt that one time…”

Sakuma groaned.

*

Hatano had considered telling Sakuma the most important part: that Miyoshi was narcissistic, but thought better of it.

It wasn’t out of spite or any desire to see him fall. On the contrary, he felt that by not mentioning that, he was keeping in with the deal.

Because if Sakuma was foolish enough to try and praise Miyoshi falsely and not even because he came to the conclusion on his own… it would likely only offend Miyoshi.

With that in mind, he said nothing, and let Sakuma figure out the obvious on his own.

*

“Lieutenant?”

Sakuma, having finished his training with Hatano, had just been drying this hair from a quick shower when he heard Odagiri call him.

Prying the towel from his head, he found the man standing in front of his bed, holding a large folder.

“Miyoshi asked me to hand you this,” Odagiri said, handing him the folder. “It’s our compilation of information on the victims so far.”

“Oh, thank you. For how long can I read this?”

“Until you leave tonight. And regarding that, Miyoshi said he’ll be coming to discuss what you’ll do should the enemy make contact before you leave.”

Sakuma thanked him again and glanced at the folder. It was large and heavy. Had there been that many deaths?

He noticed Odagiri turning to leave and hastily stopped him.

“Ah, Odagiri?”

“Yes?”

“I apologize if I’m prying, but when I was in the props room earlier I couldn’t help noticing you had luggage with some military uniform in it. Are you...going to infiltrate the Army?”

“Does that bother you?”

Sakuma chuckled dryly. “I have no right to feel like that, as I am in the Army, yet working for D-Agency. I was just curious, I’m sorry.”

Odagiri stared at him for a silent minute before shrugging slightly. “I’m not sure if I’ll be infiltrating or not. There was going to be another mission I was to set out for, but this one took priority so that has been put on hold.”

“I see.”

“Were you thinking you’d rather have my position, if it was something that involved being in the Army, rather than what you’re doing?”

 _I’m being tested._ Odagiri had remained as placid as always, but Sakuma could feel the weight behind the question.

“I wasn’t,” he answered truthfully. “I know I’m not truly a spy yet, and I am nowhere near your skill levels. Honestly, as much as this mission pains me, at least I’ll be going with Miyoshi, who will take care of everything I cannot. If it’s one of you, I’m sure you’ll pass as military flawlessly and complete your mission better than I ever could.”

“...Lieu- Sakuma, I once held the position of Second Lieutenant.”

“ _What_? I thought Lt. Col. Yuuki only recruited outside of the military.”

“I was an exception, personally invited by him. As are you.”

“That’s...quite good to hear.”

Surprise momentarily flashed in Odagiri’s eyes. “You're not disappointed you were the only exception?”

“Not really, no. I didn’t think myself special enough to warrant breaking such a firm rule for, and I’ve been...slightly suspicious of it despite everything. But if he’s done it before, it makes my situation less unlikely.”

Odagiri’s scrutiny intensified, and Sakuma began feeling uncomfortable.

“But...ah...thank you, for telling me that.”

“There’s a reason I did so, Sakuma.”

The change in formality, from Lieutenant to Sakuma, was as disconcerting as his gaze. “Yes?”

“I’ve been on the Army Cadet School to the Military Academy, I know what they teach and how firmly it takes hold of people. How strongly. Someone like you, who took it to heart so deeply that you couldn’t fathom so much as talk that Japan might lose, wouldn’t normally so quickly think of looking behind the Emperor’s Portrait, no matter how intelligent you are.”

Paling considerably, Sakuma tried to voice his disagreement. “I just-”

Odagiri spoke over him. “You have something you’re hiding. Something that had already shaken your belief in the system deep down, but forced you to embrace it to survive, be it literally or physically. You fear that we’ll discover it so much you needed to choose someone you were already mindful of so that you wouldn’t let you guard down and have him find out.”

His heart thundered in his ear and his mouth was too dry. Even so Sakuma tried to say something but couldn’t. His vision was swimming lightly as the panic set in.

“Don’t worry,” Odagiri said and, when that did nothing to calm Sakuma down, actually went to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I have no interest in knowing what it is, or telling the others, who have yet to notice, about it.”

Calming down, Sakuma stared as Odagiri retracted his hand. He tried to gather his thoughts.

“You figured this out because you were in a similar situation,” he realized.

“I wonder about that; I doubt they were too similar. My outlook when I was recruited was very different from your own. And my feelings on my past possibly being discovered are very different from your reaction just now. Nonetheless, yes, I used my own background to see through yours.”

Sakuma swallowed, still not completely relaxed again. “And you won’t...pry or mention it to the others? Thank you.”

“It’s not my business to pry. Lt. Col. Yuuki saw potential in you and it’s not our place to question his judgment. Moreover, as D-Agency graduates, we forgo our pasts and names, although if you remain as our liaison to the Army you might keep yours.”

_And yet, you told me yours. Unless you're lying, which I don’t think you are._

“Again...thank you, Odagiri. I won’t mention this to anyone, or ask about your past. Although,” he chuckled, “I really should have gone and chosen-”

“No.” Was that the hint of a smile on Odagiri’s lips? “You and Miyoshi work well together, this was made clear today. Regardless of the reason for it, it might have been the best choice. Good night, Sakuma.”

Speechless, Sakuma watched him leave.

*

Sitting down in the desk at the study room, Sakuma poured over the compilation.

Looking over the victims -and there were so many of them- Sakuma saw his first problem: the spies kept tabs on who had only been falsely accused of being a deviant and who hadn’t.

It was only natural that they’d do so, but that very morning, when Sakuma had learned of his senior’s death, he hadn’t been thinking enough and...

_“A senior. He was...kind.”_

He shouldn’t have revealed that to Miyoshi. Anyone would have picked up that he’d at least held the man in his esteem. The senior’s file wasn’t completed yet, but that was only a matter of time. And when Miyoshi heard about it…

It would be suspicious, surely, that straight laced Sakuma had thought highly of a deviant. Could he claim to not know? His senior’s desires hadn’t been that secret. They hadn’t been public, either, or else no amount of favoritism would had ensured his survival, and Sakuma wouldn’t have risked even speaking to him. But they’d been rumored enough that even a superficial search by D-Agency would reveal it. And then it would be a question of believing Sakuma had no involvement with him…

Sakuma shuddered; he’d have a way to fix this before Miyoshi arrived to go through whatever he’d have to do later tonight if the enemy made contact.

Better that than trying to survive another night with Miyoshi in his apartment. He’d need a respite to try and get his senses to move on from the image he had of the man from today.

_It’s not as if the enemy will be that much of a threat. I’ll have instructions and someone tailing me…_

_Or will I?_

_“Well then. Can I ask you to play the role of Military Police Lieutenant, Mr. Sakuma?”_

Miyoshi had tricked him into leaving things in his hands, and that was how he’d managed to have enough power to promise Sakuma’s suicide to Gordon.

And now, Miyoshi had become in charge of instructing him.

What if he instructed Sakuma wrongly, and had whoever was tailing Sakuma to go along and let the enemy reach him. He could get rid of Sakuma while seeming devoid of blame.

_But would Miyoshi really jeopardize the whole mission like that?_

Well, he nearly did Gordon’s to get rid of him, so why not do it again? And if Odagiri did have a military background, they’d have a handy substitute for him and the General Staff office would have no reason to refute allowing a spy into their ranks with Sakuma gone.

He felt sick, and panic start to settle again.

 _No, one thing at a time_. First, he needed to think of a way to fix his mistake about the senior, and then study the victims to find answers to his questions.

*

He lost track of time. When Miyoshi came, he had no idea if he’d taken long or not.

“Have you managed to get some answers, Lieutenant?” Miyoshi asked airily and went to lean his back into the desk, next to Sakuma.

_Have you been more patient with me because you had something planned? Being even moderately nice, explaining things to me and talking to me all for the sake of getting my guard down?_

“...What’s wrong?” Miyoshi said, smile slipping as he frowned slightly.

“Nothing,” Sakuma said and, knowing that would never be enough, added, “just the stress of trying to figure out this murderer. As for your earlier question, I’ve come to a conclusion, which I believe might be correct.”

“Which is?”

“I’ve noticed deviants have been murdered with poisons, ambushed in an alleyway or stabbed after being laced with sleeping drugs or when sleeping, while the men only falsely accused have been stabbed, hanged and bound before getting their throats cut. The only exception are those who really had inclinations for women’s clothes and other accessories. Those have been stabbed or hanged as well.

“I’m thinking that...since the murderers are prostitutes...perhaps the reason why they needed to resort to poison, ambush and sleeping drugs for the deviants are because they’d be more cautious overall, given they must know how the Army regards...their kind. And most of them wouldn’t be interested in female prostitutes. With the exception of the ones who wanted to be women; those might have had dealings with prostitutes for help with makeup and clothes, maybe.

“Along with that type of deviant, the men that aren’t deviants would be more easily approached by a female prostitute, and they’d have less to fear too, and even knowing about this murder spree wouldn’t hurt them, as they’d assume they were never targets. Thus, the women managed to approach them in a more disarmed state and could kill them without needing the care the others did.”

“And how do you explain a woman having the strength to hang a military man?”

“Help, most likely. I imagine some men would take no issue with the offer of having two or more women at the same time.”

Miyoshi didn’t say anything for a while, studying Sakuma with that calm lidded gaze which Sakuma had begun to think meant he was pleased.

_Pleased enough to spare me later tonight?_

“Well done, Lieutenant,” he finally said softly. “That is the same conclusion we came to. Men don’t expect women to do such things, so they have an easy time getting to them. And of course, most don’t pay attention to a prostitute’s face. They see the recognizable attire, they see the makeup and maybe they see the body, but not the person. It would be easy for prostitutes to stake out a target simply by switching to normal clothing now and then so people would think it’s different women and not notice a suspicious pattern.”

“It all sounds...so simple, yet they’ve wrought all of this.”

“The best laid plans are usually the simplest ones. The more convoluted you make something, the easier it’ll be for something to go awry.”

“So...that’s it? Just women around deciding to kill people? Why demoralize the Imperial Japanese Army to this extent?”

“That we have yet to uncover. And it doesn’t help that the murderous prostitutes have been moving around, and changing names and such. That has to do with the mastermind, who we believe is guiding them to how best murder and disappear after without leaving a trace.” Miyoshi looked slightly smug now. “Naturally, they’re not succeeding with D-Agency.”

“I see.” It made him feel a little better, to have an inkling of what the enemy might be.

“Anything else?”

“Ah, one more thing actually. Well, I’m not sure if I should bring it up at all, I don’t want to besmirch the honor of a dead comrade but…”

“Yes?”

“I’ve noticed the file on my senior isn’t completed, but the method is hanging and wondered…” He hoped his fear in being caught lying would seem like hesitation to slander a senior he liked. “I once caught wind of a rumor that he… wished he’d been a woman.”

Miyoshi’s expression told him nothing. “And you never thought to distance yourself from him?”

“It was only a rumor. If there had been any solid evidence, I’m sure the army would have removed him immediately. I assumed it was disgusting slander from his enemies to attempt to bring him down. Besides, we weren’t that close.” That last part was true enough.

“Very well, I’ll give Jitsui that information,” he said, then his face opened up slightly again. “You were off to a rough start, but you’ve overall done well today.” Miyoshi was still leaning on the desk next to Sakuma and, had his head not been filled with more serious matters, Sakuma might have enjoyed the way the pose accentuated Miyoshi’s. features from Sakuma’s position. “Now let’s finish this so you can go home. We’ll go through what might happen if they try to make contact and how you should react.”

 _And here it comes. I’ll pretend to believe him and figure things out for myself later._ “...Understood.”

Miyoshi’s hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder.

“Lieutenant,” Miyoshi said, and now his voice was too nice, “what’s the matter?”

“...Like I said, I-”

“No.” Miyoshi’s fingers tightened slightly. “You swallowed more thickly when I told you what we’d do now, and your face became blanker, as if you were trying to hide your emotions. Right now, what troubles you the most isn’t these murders, but what we’ll be doing next. Are you worried they’ll kill you?”

“I-”

“Are you doubting our skill in watching you and my instructions?”

Sakuma snapped, he looked Miyoshi right in the eye and said, “I’m questioning if you will not purposely fail to get rid of me.”

Miyoshi froze, and then his expression closed off completely.

“What brought this about?” he asked, eyes icy.

“There’s precedent.”

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes and his moved to grab him by the collar. He pulled so that Sakuma was nearly forced to stand from the chair.

“Lieutenant Sakuma,” he hissed, “if you think I’d use my hands on someone who wouldn’t even appreciate it despite planning on getting rid of him later that same day, _you have misunderstood something very important about me_.”

Sakuma, having trouble breathing, tried to say something. “I-”

The hold become tighter, momentarily cutting off his air supply completely and he choked. Yet instinct told him to not dare lift his hands to try and pry Miyoshi off him.

“Tell me, Lieutenant, when was it that you saw me asking people if I could offer then sexual favors for nothing in return. Tell me what was it that made you think I’m lower than a whore to offer such things freely? Or are you going to claim it was all for you humiliation, as if I wasn’t in the more humiliating position. _Tell me._ ”

His hand let go enough that Sakuma could breathe freely again. He opened his mouth to say-

To say what? That he saw Miyoshi kissing the others and thought that translated to pleasuring him? And he’d done it to avoid a loss, and it wouldn’t be debasing at all, since everyone had been doing the same.

And…

“If you really wanted to kill me,” he whispered hoarsely, realizing it, “you’d have refused to do anything to me, to gain my trust more. You’re right, you’re not planning to let them kill me.”

He was let go of completely, and stumbled back into the chair, nursing his throat and breathing deeply.

“I’ll get one of the others to teach you instead. Maybe with them you’ll think more clearly,” Miyoshi stated and moved to leave.

“Miyoshi, wait,” Sakuma said to Miyoshi’s back, standing up and, unthinkingly, grabbing Miyoshi’s arm.

Miyoshi stopped and turned back to him slowly.

“Let go. I can hurt you without incapacitating you for tomorrow.”

Sakuma complied and, not knowing what else to do, bowed deeply.

“Please let me explain.”

“Pull yourself up. Bowing just means you can spout nonsense without looking me in the eye.”

Sakuma did. Miyoshi had his arms crossed, waiting.

He breathed in deeply, resisting the urge to bow again. “I am truly sorry. But please allow me to say what I want to the end before you do anything else.”

There was no objection, so he ploughed on. “There has been precedent. You tried to kill me.”

“ _You_ -” Miyoshi said in disbelief, before composing himself. “Nevermind, go on.”

“I suppose I should have considered that things are different now. I’m no longer a sort of spy for the General Staff Office, or clearly against everything that D-Agency represents. It was my mistake to not consider that before accusing you.”

Miyoshi’s expression was still stony.

“And...this hasn’t been an easy mission for me. I’m not saying that I need to be pitied, but between seeing comrades and innocents die, japan being threatened and then put into a mission I have no mental or physical training...I haven’t exactly been in a good state. And you’ve probably haven’t been too good either.”

“Excuse me?”

Sakuma flinched, realizing how that had sounded like. “I don’t mean to suggest you’re anywhere near my lack of skill. You’re competent. Very much so. Clearly enough that Lt. Col. Yuuki had no issue with putting you up to this. But no matter how well you do this, it must still be annoying to have to deal with me and my reluctance. And since you’ve already tried to get rid of me for less, I…”

“Enough.” Miyoshi sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I understand. I suppose...it was foolish to get you to watch our game today. You were already tense from the morning and that must have only worsened your emotional state. They made a mistake in allowing you to watch.”

 _They? You were there too_. Sakuma knew better than to point it out; this might be as close as Miyoshi could come to acknowledging a mistake.

“It didn't help that you’ve been responding better either. I suppose you’ve been silently building up stress while trying to keep up.” Miyoshi sighed again. “Fine, I’ll pretend you’ve never had that outburst just now. Don't ever suggest I would jeopardize the mission again or belittle me again.”

 _But you’re still talking more coldly to me than you have for a long time._ “No.”

“...No?”

“I didn’t mean to belittle you, or make you angry. So…”

_Why am I the one feeling guilty about this? He tried to murder me before, so why do I feel like an idiot for suggesting he'd do so now? Is he manipulating me to this extent?_

“So?”

“Let me make it up to you. Tell me what I should do to get back in your good graces.”

“Why? Scared I’ll try to get you murdered if you don’t?”

“...I deserve that. But if I thought doing that would work, I’d have been doing that today.”

“Oh, so you weren’t trying to get in my good graces today?”

Sakuma blinked. “No.”

Miyoshi stared at him. “I believe you. You aren’t that good, I'd have noticed if you were trying to suck up to me. Alright, kiss me. Right now.”

Sakuma hesitated. That had actually been a lighter penance than he’d expected to be given. He couldn’t really complain.

Miyoshi must have read his mind, because he said, “I’d have told you to return this morning’s favor. But if this tantrum was a result of accumulated stress, that’s only going to make things worse. So, kiss me.”

Sakuma couldn’t complain. He took a step closer to Miyoshi and leaned down-

_“Or belittle me again.”_

He stopped. If Miyoshi’s anger had been mostly out of pride… maybe there was something better than kissing him in the mouth. He hadn’t specified, after all.

Feeling completely foolish, Sakuma took Miyoshi’s hand and kneeled. He had never done it before, but seen it happen in the few western books and movies he’d been acquainted with. He hoped he hadn’t misunderstood something.

Kneeling, he took Miyoshi’s hand and kissed it on the back.

He looked Miyoshi in the eye. Miyoshi looked back with open disbelief…

And then he began shaking as he tried to muffle his laughter with his hand.

Relief flooded Sakuma; he had an inkling that Miyoshi’s laughter wasn’t something calculated for derision, so he might have managed to mollify him.

“Stand up, Lieutenant, you’re ruining your pants,” Miyoshi said, eyes still laughing. “What, pray, do you think you were doing?”

“I thought that was a western way of showing respect. Was I mistaken?”

“Please don't ever do that again,” Miyoshi said, but he still sounded amused. “You aren’t entirely wrong, but these days that sort of thing takes another connotation.”

“What?”

“Never you mind,” Miyoshi said, and he was regarding Sakuma softly again. “I should berate you for trying to escape kissing my mouth but...ah, this was too amusing, I’ll let it go for today. Now, sit back at the chair so we can go over what you need to prepare for.”

*

Later, when Sakuma was long gone and his duties over. Miyoshi allowed himself to mull over the earlier scene.

He hated to admit it, but he’d reacted more strongly than he should have.

Because he had earlier that same day thought about how it hadn't been so bad, teasing Sakuma so, he’d extrapolated on Sakuma’s accusations.

But mostly it had bothered him because Sakuma had been doing so brilliantly the whole day, even Hatano had nothing to complain about after their training. And yet, he hadn’t understood the most obvious thing yet.

He’d almost told Sakuma the truth, but had held back in the last second. He didn’t know why he had nearly done so, either, he was being nicer to Sakuma than he should.

**Don’t die, don’t kill.**

It was right there on their motto, how had Sakuma not figured it out yet? 

_Something is blocking him._

His fear of being killed was strange, considering how he treated them like shameful creatures, not potential murderers, while clearly assuming they’d do it.

He had left the Gordon case certain they wanted him dead, and fearing it, yet not angry or spiteful about it.

_As if he doesn’t want to die, but somehow feels people have right to kill him._

Well, he'd come to them assuming death wasn’t anything serious, and when faced with his own in Gordon’s case, he’d opted to find an alternative to it, rather than simply refuse it outright despite it being the easiest thing to claim that his underling couldn’t promise his suicide on his behalf.

Therefore… maybe they hadn’t really made him change his mind about death yet. And the Army indoctrination was still taking its toll on him.

That, or he had a past trauma, but the Army’s influence was still the more likely choice.

Miyoshi would have to watch him closely, and move with more care.

Well, he didn't mind it much. Even as he'd revealed himself to be an idiot, Sakuma had still managed to pleasantly surprise him.

He looked at the back of his hand and felt a smile tugging at his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Translated german dialogue (thanks to kaitoleen on tumblr for helping me with it):
> 
> “Jitsui, don’t make Hatano jealous,”  
> “The Lieutenant is lucky that he didn’t choose Jitsui,”  
> “I wouldn’t say it was luck,”  
> “Please be gentle with him, Miyoshi.”  
> “He’s earned that.”
> 
> *Jitsui: character bio says he has a sadistic side when fighting.
> 
> *Hatano: character bio says he’s a master at martial arts
> 
> *Odagiri: character info states his old rank, as well as him being in a dark emotional state when Yuuki found and personally invited him.
> 
> *Miyoshi: character info states he’s narcissistic. It also reveals that he (and Kaminaga) volunteered.
> 
> *On volunteering: I couldn’t imagine Yuuki being foolish enough to force people into being spies, or spreading ads for the D-Agency training. As such, what Sakuma said about the candidate selection is what I imagined would explain why two were said to volunteer.
> 
> *Episode 11: As far as I’m confirmed, Miyoshi only faked his death. How is another matter, but for the sake of this fic -which happens before that- that’s what will happen should I ever mention that part later on.
> 
> *Episode 12: This was posted on day before the finale. I’ve seen previews and what may or may not be spoilers and as such, had to think on how to go with this fic. The main issue is that Ep. 12 happens a bit after Episode 02 and, as such, it could turn the fic completely AU by way of spies being undercover elsewhere for a long time, or character death. In light of that, rather than simply wait and then go “yes this fic will ignore ep.12 completly” next chapter, I chose to diminish the loss by implying there was another mission (based on the little info we have) and that this fic’s mission might push it back, cancel it or have it happen anyway. This way, I felt that even if I have to ignore canon events, I can still go “In this fic ep12 doesn't happen because fic events cancelled it” rather than “just ignore episode 12”. Maybe it might not make much of a difference for you, but it does for me.
> 
> *The props room is a complete fabrication of mine, I just reasoned they’d have one.
> 
> *The game is also a complete fabrication of mine. I hope it was easy to understand.
> 
> *Apologies for the delay, hopefully the size of this makes up for it, and no one finds it too long or boring. Thank you for all the input so far, it really motivates me.


	7. Chapter 7

Miyoshi woke up and smiled to himself.

He’d just had a dream where the Lieutenant had been on his knees, in complete military uniform, sucking Miyoshi’s cock like he was grateful for it.

Miyoshi allowed himself to chuckle silently about the absurdity for a minute since he rarely had those kinds of dream before promptly putting it completely out of mind and focusing on his tasks.

*

_“Show me your hand,” Miyoshi says, and Sakuma shows the only card he’s holding: the joker._

_“Did I win or lose?” Sakuma asks. Miyoshi gives him a sly smile and crawls to him. They’re sitting on a bed, it seems._

_“You’ll have to decide that for yourself,” Miyoshi says and yanks him forward by the collar, until their mouths meet._

_He can’t describe what it feels like, or even how their tongues are moving. All he knows is that it’s not_ enough _..._

_And then he’s being pushed down, back on the bed, and Miyoshi is straddling him._

_They’re naked now, or maybe they’d always been naked. It doesn’t matter, what matters is that Miyoshi looks gorgeous and his hand is now on Sakuma’s cock._

_He pumps it with his hand while his eyes look intently at Sakuma._

_Sakuma groans and grabs his hips, trying to guide Miyoshi so that it isn’t just his hands around his cock._

_Miyoshi smiles dangerously and leans forward. He lets go of Sakuma’s cock and lets his hands trail upwards, over Sakuma’s stomach, chest and reaching his neck..._

_It sends shivers down he spine, and he arches into the touch hoping for more, begging for it..._

_The hands grasp it with unnatural strength and begin strangling him._

_They don’t feel like hands anymore, but like rope. Around them he can hear the indistinct murmur of a crowd as they find the hanged body and-_

-Sakuma woke up drenched in his own sweat and groaned.

His desires and nightmares were getting worse. Unsurprisingly, since his every fear was based on his tastes.

He sighed; it was already morning, no point in trying to go back to sleep.

No one had tried to contact him during the night. Sakuma almost wished the enemy had.

He made his way to the bathroom, annoyed that even the end of the dream hadn’t completely washed away lust from his body; his cock was still half hard.

He shouldn’t be like this. Last time he’d done something remotely sexual with someone, it had satiated him enough for days. Miyoshi had touched him for less than five minutes and he was reduced to _this_.

Then again, Miyoshi was certainly a completely different caliber than his partners. Not _that_ much in looks, but quite a lot intellectually.

Sakuma groaned in frustration with himself. What did it matter if Miyoshi was intelligent or not? This was about his immoral desires to fuck him, not start a damn relationship. After all, his personality was abominable-

-And yet, quite enticing and not dull like the others had been-

 _He still attempted murder, and nothing can make me skim over that fact,_ Sakuma told himself, _let’s end this._

He considered copying Miyoshi’s technique, but discarded that and chose to pump his cock quickly, wanting to end things as fast as possible, like he usually did.

Normally he also wasn’t into his partners using their hands; he could do that to himself, so why waste another person on that? Better to have them use their mouths, at the very least.

He wondered how skilled Miyoshi was with his mouth. Very, most likely.

He gritted his teeth and tried focusing on anything else. It didn’t work. The bastard had invaded his thoughts in such a manner that he could no longer keep his fantasies free of a specific face.

It was probably due to never having been so teased without a proper end before. It’s not as if others like him broadcasted what they were, while Miyoshi and the rest flaunted their clear disregard for social norms.

Being close to Miyoshi, but with little to no actual sexual contact, was fraying his self-control.

With a groan of pleasure muffled by his hand, Sakuma finally came.

He watched as the shower water washed away the dirtiness.

Choosing Miyoshi had been a mistake after all; Sakuma had never thought his body would start to desire him so quickly.

Miyoshi was only acting as he was because he wanted to mock Sakuma. The man clearly had pride; he’d hardly like the thought of being looked on with lust by another man. Not to mention, how angry he’d be when he found out he’d done things to Sakuma unnecessarily because he’d been tricked.

With each day Sakuma managed to stall and fool Miyoshi a little more, the worse things would turn for him when he was found out. But what choice did Sakuma have? Miyoshi would ruin him, his only option was to do his best and hope for a miracle.

Sighing again, Sakuma finished his shower and prepared himself for the train ride to Matsue.

*

Odagiri said nothing after Lt. Col. Yuuki finished speaking, but he felt the beads of sweat roll down his face with the effort of it.

_So, he’s also starting to think I’m untrainable._

Despite the urgency of finding and stopping the string of military murders, he was being given a side case. To watch over a double spy.

Normally, Odagiri would have thought nothing of it, but to pull him -or anyone- from the other mission for that…

And assigning Sakuma to be the bait, when his own past would have proven just as effective for the General Staff Office to accept…

Odagiri was being tested. Either his skill or mental conditioning was in question.

He saluted Lt. Col. Yuuki and left the room.

Odagiri supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised. He’d known, deep down, he hadn’t quite managed to fit in. He joined the others in their games and conversations, but when it came to missions he still, admittedly, had qualms about the way they acted.

And Lt. Col. Yuuki had seen through that, somehow, and now wanted to verify if Odagiri was truly fit to remain.

Still, if he had misgivings about Odagiri, why had he invited Sakuma, who had acted reluctant, to join?

Odagiri stopped in his tracks as the answer came to him.

And he was reminded of grasping a half dead man for dear life, in the middle of a blizzard...

He needed a glass of water and Fukumoto’s calming presence.

Odagiri went to the kitchen to find Fukumoto absent and, worse, Miyoshi there.

He was leisurely reading a book in clothing of a cut for beneath him. So, he was liking wasting time before he set out in character.

“Has Fukumoto gone to the market?”

“Yes.” Miyoshi didn’t bother to look up from his book, likely assuming their conversation to be over before it had even begun.

Odagiri weighed his options. Miyoshi would find out eventually, so he wouldn’t be harming Sakuma by talking to him now.

“Jitsui will now be in charge of compiling the files on the case, should you need that later.”

Miyoshi paused his reading and looked up at him. Odagiri wasn’t one to fill the silence with useless chatter, if he’d said something, it was relevant.

“Why is that no longer your duty,” Miyoshi didn’t say it with the intonations of a question, he was simply saying the line he knew Odagiri was waiting for.

“I’ve been assigned another case.”

Intellectually, at least, Odagiri believed he wasn’t inferior to most of the rest. Miyoshi was one of the exceptions and, as such, Odagiri expected him to reach the same conclusion he had, only faster.

It took a minute, and Miyoshi’s lips curled slightly in quite possibly distaste.

But for what? Because Odagiri was lacking enough to require a test?

It was too much to hope for that he’d be bothered by Sakuma’s situation.

Rather than mark the page with a finger, Miyoshi closed the book and set it on the table.

“I’ll be leaving soon,” he informed mildly.

Meaning Odagiri had no time to dance delicately around the topic like they usually did. He disliked that; he’d found that by keeping quiet and measuring every few words he said, he could avoid slipping and saying something he shouldn’t.

He sat down across from Miyoshi.

“Do you think this is a competition?”

Miyoshi rested his chin in his hands.  “Of course. But not, necessarily, one where second place needs to be eliminated so long as they arrive at the finish mark.” He smiled slyly. “Are you feeling threatened by an amateur?”

Odagiri felt annoyance at the stab, but didn’t let his own mask of indifference fall. “I’m worried about him. I think there will be an elimination.”

“You think Sakuma is here as your potential substitute only, because of your backgrounds,” Miyoshi stated.

Of course he’d known Odagiri had been in the Army.

Candidates were told to never reveal their past to each other, facing a punishment of forfeiting the D-Agency triage. However, they hadn’t yet been taught, much less mastered, curbing tells of their past, and by the time they did, things had slipped up.

So among other things, they knew Odagiri had been in the Army, Amari had been a school teacher, Fukumoto a waiter, and Hatano’s family owned a dojo.

And that were the minor things. There were also the little tells of pasts dark enough to explain why they might be willing to welcome the lifestyle of a spy...

Kaminaga and Miyoshi had been harder to read, as they’d already arrived completely closed off.

“You don’t?” He asked.

“I doubt Lt. Col. Yuuki would invite anyone at this point simply because of useful background. If he’s here, it's because he’s shown promise.”

“I’m not questioning his potential-”

“You are. You’re assuming his invitation has less to do with himself and more to do with your own failings.” Miyoshi’s smile was dry and didn’t reach his eyes. “And here I thought I was the cynic.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what is it?”

_Men, plucked from their homes and thrown into harsh conditions for no reason other than to make a statement. Dying for nothing._

He willed himself away from the memories. Miyoshi was being less patient than usual with him and he needed to tread carefully lest he make things worse for Sakuma. Although given Miyoshi’s stance, he was currently on Sakuma’s side.

The question was: how much?

“I don’t mean to slight the Lieutenant, or make little of his invitation,” he said calmly. “However, the fact remains he and I are being tested. I’m worried about him.”

“Isn’t it too late for that? If you wanted to protect him, you should have convinced him to make you his partner. He’s in my hands now.”

 _And you’re worried about what I’ll do to him_ , was left unsaid between them.

“He asked me if choosing you was a mistake. I said it wasn’t.”

Miyoshi gave nothing away, his expression remained passive and unyielding despite the statement. Odagiri hadn't expected otherwise; Miyoshi could only be caught off guard to the point of revealing his true feelings when he was feeling nonchalant, or irritated beyond the norm.

Odagiri waited, so did Miyoshi. It wasn’t a stare down, because they were above that, but every gesture was calculated and measured.

Miyoshi will win this round. He wouldn’t usually, not against Odagiri. But he’d already stated his time would run out soon, and as such Odagiri couldn’t afford to keep the stalemate going.

He pursed his mouth in distaste, but gave in. “The situation has changed.”

“You now think I’ll ruin his chances. Why? For you?” The last question was asked derisively.

“For the Lieutenant Colonel.”

It took Miyoshi some seconds to comprehend, and his expression hardened.

“You think he’s making a mistake.”

Odagiri and Sakuma were not equals. Odagiri had the full D-Agency training, Sakuma did not. For Lt. Col. Yuuki to test them against each other, he'd have to give Sakuma something that would prove his worth despite his lack of training, while ensuring he wouldn’t be making the same mistake he did with Odagiri, and adding to the group a spy that didn’t have the ideal mindset.

And that is what Odagiri had understood: that this wasn’t a normal mission for Sakuma. It was a mission that would threaten to break him, somehow.

If Sakuma managed to handle whatever psychological hurdle was thrown at him, Lt. Col. Yuuki would be able to ascertain that Sakuma was more psychologically resilient than Odagiri, and thus have him join. If he broke under the strain presented, the man would simply have avoided adding another mistake to the group.

D-Agency prided itself on being removed from the Army’s ideals, yet Lt. Col. Yuuki’s military background was showing.

“A mistake,” Odagiri said, “or simply disregard for Sakuma’s results.”

“You forget a third option: he believes Sakuma can get through this.”

“If he was certain of Sakuma, he wouldn't test him to begin with.”

“Considering how you’ve been reacting, perhaps this is all but an illusion to test you through a threat on him,” Miyoshi snapped. “You don’t even care about the man, only what he embodies for you.”

True. It was true and it bothered Odagiri that he couldn’t get away from him. Sakuma was another fellow soldier being thrown away for so little.

What had he hoped to gain, to find different, in spies? Why had he thought men forced to forgo even their names and pasts for the sake of the country would be better treated than the soldiers? They had different rules and battlefields, but ultimately they were still pawns, moving unquestioningly on someone’s whim.

“You and I both know the Lieutenant Colonel doesn’t do things by half,” he settled on saying. “Even if making his machinations towards Sakuma this clear is a means to test me, it doesn’t mean they are a lie. As for my concern over his person; what of it, if it’s not born out of personal contact? It doesn’t change the fact I do have a personal interest in seeing him through this, which is more than can be said for the rest of you.”

He wondered, briefly, what Lt. Col. Yuuki would have done had Sakuma chosen him as a partner. Maybe that was the outcome he’d been hoping for, as watching Sakuma suffer under the strain would closely would be reminiscent of the very reason he’d once gone against his superior officer.

What would this other mission he was given force him into, then? How would it hit his already crumbling resolve to stay?

And yet, stay he must, because Odagiri had nothing and no one to look for if he left.

“...I certainly won't argue with that,” Miyoshi said levelly, then let out a sigh that didn't sound as theatrically false as usual. “I still need to report to Lt. Col. Yuuki one last time before I go. What have you been truly meaning to ask of me? Say it now, or not at all.”

“...Is there anything that will make you consider not forwarding the Lieutenant Colonel’s wishes?”

“You remain under the presumption that his wishes are to see the Lieutenant fall. I don’t share your views.”

“Very well, notwithstanding whether he thinks the Lieutenant can get through this or not, what do you intend to do?”

“First you questioned the Lieutenant’s capacities, then you implied Lt. Col. Yuuki is making a mistake and now you’re making suggestions about me. Should I call the others so you can make allegations towards them as well?”

Miyoshi, when truly angered, didn’t shout or make a scene. Instead he chilled, and lowered his voice and bore you with a gaze that promised regret.

“I’ve made no such allegations towards you.”

“Have you become truly this obtuse? You’ve just admitted to thinking I might threaten the Lieutenant’s standing even if Lt. Col. Yuuki doesn't will it.”

“Hardly so. What I'd like to know is if you have the choice you might help him make it through.”

“I’m a spy not a babysitter, why would I do that instead of simply allowing things to run their course?”

“Because Lt. Col. Yuuki might be making a mistake.” Involuntarily, Odagiri banged on the table with a hand, and winced at the lack of self-control. Miyoshi didn’t even wince, but he stood with his back straight and eyes hard. “Miyoshi, none of us had to go battle our demons like this-”

“Ah,” Miyoshi said, and all signs of anger evaporated as he leaned back on the chair looking pleased with himself. “I was wondering if this was a test of morality and ideology. So the Lieutenant has past troubles that still haunt him.”

Odagiri froze. His mind reeled as he went over the conversation and he paled.

Lt. Col. Yuuki could have been planning to test Sakuma’s resolve no matter what they were, even if it went against his moral code and his ideology.

Odagiri had just told Miyoshi that might not be it, because Sakuma had hidden issues that could also be used against him.

“You…” he stopped. What could he say? Miyoshi had just tricked him into revealing something he shouldn’t have. They were trained for it.

Odagiri sighed. “I don’t know,” he said tiredly.

“Hm,” Miyoshi cocked his head. “He hasn’t told you anything, and you don’t know what it is, but you’ve managed to grasp that there’s something.”

“I might have misunderstood. I look at him but it’s not the Lieutenant I see.” _It’s the men I couldn’t save, and myself._

“A good attempt, so you aren’t completely gone yet. However, I’ve also noticed something strange about him, you’ve now simply confirmed my own suspicions.”

And they all had their demons. Why else live the life of a spy?

Miyoshi stood up and Odagiri made no move to stop him. He’d been defeated.

Miyoshi walked leisurely to the door, but stopped before going beyond it.

“Odagiri,” he said, and Odagiri looked at him. “I have two things last things to say to you. Consider them parting gifts, if we don’t see each other again.”

Odagiri set his jaw but said nothing, listening.

“One,” Miyoshi lifted a finger in the air. “If you care so much for what he reminds you of, simply conclude your own mission in a timely and successful fashion so that you can be reassigned in this one and watch over proceedings.”

Odagiri blinked. Miyoshi thought he could get through whatever Lt. Col. Yuuki had in store for him, if he wanted. He still wasn’t sure if he did.

“And two.” Another finger was lifted. “I will not disobey orders. If I’m told to damage the Lieutenant, I will. But I won’t do it of my own free will, much less ask Lt. Col. Yuuki for permission.” With that said, Miyoshi turned and left without waiting another second.

It was far from agreeing to actively help Sakuma, but it would have to be enough, from Miyoshi.

Odagiri sighed and raked a hand through his hair, wondering at the mess he’d made of things.

He wasn’t sure if he even wanted to fix his standing with D-Agency, either. His verbal spat with Miyoshi had only served to further compound what he thought of all of them.

He heard the sound of someone approaching and Fukumoto entered, arms laden with grocery shopping.

Fukumoto looked at him, and Odagiri knew that, in his state, some little tells of his distress must be escaping his control.

Even so, Fukumoto said nothing, simply moving on to place the bags on the counter.

“I’ll help you with that,” Odagiri offered, and Fukumoto nodded.

Of all of them, Odagiri preferred Fukumoto. He also prized silence and didn't have the sharp edges the others did. He was a good friend, and Odagiri would remember him fondly if he left.

Fukumoto asked nothing, and Odagiri offered nothing in return. Fukumoto would learn of his reassignment eventually and likely look down on him for it, too, even if he hid it completely.

For now, Odagiri would enjoy helping him one last time.

_“If you care so much for what he reminds you of, simply conclude your own mission in a timely and successful fashion so that you can be reassigned in this one and watch over proceedings.”_

_Or maybe not for the last time._ Even if he did decided D-Agency and the monsters that resided here were not for him, even if he found some purpose to dedicate himself to...he shouldn’t have to fail, to give them that delight.

He could succeed, see through Sakuma’s own hurdle and then resign on his own terms, with his head held high.

*

Lt. Col. Yuuki briefly perused the outline of Miyoshi’s plans without much interest. He didn’t doubt his skills and, in the present mission, how Miyoshi would proceed would rely too much on how others reacted.

Nonetheless, he pretended to be thoroughly reading a page so he had time to nonchalantly say, “Odagiri has been reassigned. Expect Jitsui and Amari to take over his tasks in the foreseeable future.”

“Odagiri mentioned it.”

 _Interesting_. Odagiri had pride, and wasn’t close anyone other than Fukumoto. If he’d told Miyoshi, he had wanted something out of him.

No doubt, the situation would remind Odagiri of the one that resulted in his dispute with his superior officer. Moreover, he’d assume Sakuma’s mission was beyond what he’d be able to handle, and it would all be his fault.

Odagiri’s empathy and sense of righteousness had no place in D-Agency, and it was time to see if Odagiri was willing to go past that, or leave.

Not that that would be his only trial. The man Odagiri would be sent to spy on...Lt. Col. Yuuki had seen images of his lover. She had looked eerily similar to someone of Odagiri’s past. Perfect, then, for another test.

He’d known, of course, that it might come to this. Unlike the others, he had sought Odagiri personally when the man had been cornered and bitter. He could have walked through that situation learning to harden his heart, or he could insist on relying on emotions at the most inopportune times.

So far, Odagiri had chosen the latter. It was time for him to leave, if he refused to learn.

As for Sakuma; his situation was different. His issues were constant but not a latent pain. If anything, said homosexuality and fear of its repercussions would only help ensure that he’d easily forsake the military and the rules of society.

No doubt, Odagiri, and perhaps Miyoshi, if he’d managed to grasp Sakuma had a secret by now, assumed it was this that would harm him in the mission.

It wasn’t so. What might be challenged was Sakuma’s morals on something quite removed from sexuality. But there was no need to tell them that; Odagiri would worry and Miyoshi would see things to the end, regardless of the reason.

Lt. Col. Yuuki hadn’t put Sakuma on the mission solely to test him. Had Col. Muto not made it an issue, Yuuki wouldn’t have considered Sakuma at all. But opportunity had presented itself and he took it. And he’d be able to challenge two spies while forwarding his goals.

He almost wished he’d seen their discussion, but he could well imagine the gist of it. Odagiri, blinded by his resentment of the military, and unnerved how the others had managed to learn to keep personal feelings at bay when at work while he hadn’t fully mastered it, would likely believe Yuuki was the devil himself, risking spies on a whim. No, more than that: he had probably begun thinking Sakuma was there as bait for him.

As if he’d have wasted time and paperwork while revealing some of their secrets to a man he wasn’t truly considering a potential recruit.

Miyoshi must have been annoyed at Odagiri. No doubt he’d have realized Yuuki wouldn’t be so improvident with his invitations. And he also wouldn’t care if Sakuma was slated to deal with something above his capacity, so long as Miyoshi could still complete his part…

Ah, but he might be wrong about that last statement, because Miyoshi was still silently waiting as Yuuki read his plans.

 _Now this is also interesting._ Yuuki allowed his lips to curve upwards a little. Miyoshi wasn’t impudent like Hatano, but he still enjoyed asking Yuuki for his opinion or challenges, to flaunt his expertise by succeeding.

This would have been the perfect time for Miyoshi to inquire if Yuuki wanted him to give Sakuma a little push; to wind him up more for clearer results.

He wasn’t saying anything, however, which could only mean Miyoshi didn’t want to risk forcing Sakuma more than he could bear.

Miyoshi’s ego and self-assurance meant he’d hardly believe himself incapable of something unless the situation was truly dire. Thus, this couldn’t be a question of him worrying that an eventual breakdown from his partner would be too much for him to handle.

No, Miyoshi actually favored Sakuma enough to not wish for his fall.

It wasn’t what Yuuki had thought most probable, but it wasn’t something that would become a problem. Since his intention had never been to make Sakuma suffer, Miyoshi being remotely on his side would be a good thing for the mission in question.

So long as they didn’t become close to the point of Miyoshi disobeying.

“Miyoshi, this is adequate,” he said as he dropped the papers on his desk. Miyoshi wouldn’t need it, he would have memorized his plan by now.

“Thank you, sir,” Miyoshi replied, tone polite but not grateful; he hadn’t expected it to be anything below appropriate.

Yuuki considered reminding him of what he’d asked before.

_The moment you notice that he is unable to see things as a spy should, report back to me and abort the operation._

He decided not to. It would only make Miyoshi wonder at him repeating himself. Miyoshi wouldn’t have forgotten it. His conversation with Odagiri must have put it back on the forefront of his mind, in fact.

“You may go.”

*

Miyoshi was late.

Sakuma tried to not worry too much since they still had time before the train departed, but it was hard not to. He couldn’t imagine anyone from D-Agency being late for a mission, no matter how self-absorbed they were.

And they couldn’t afford to miss this train, since they would still need to switch to another one to reach Matsue.

He didn’t fidget, instead his back stood rigid with tension as his eyes scanned the crowd and he wondered if something had happened.

The corner of his eyes caught a hand shooting up and waving excitedly. He ignored it, since it wouldn’t be Miyoshi, and much less for him.

The owner of the hand was approaching, still waving insistently. Sakuma turned to look at whoever it was.

It was Miyoshi.

 _Mio, it’s Mio._ Sakuma’s brain corrected quickly. The man approaching him was beaming openly at having caught his eye, and his back was slightly curved, carrying his luggage with effort.

“I’m so sorry!” Mio enthused when he finally managed to reach Sakuma. “I haven’t made you wait long, have I?” His hand put an errant strand of hair back behind his ear.

Sakuma wanted to scowl. Yes, he had been waiting for quite a while. Normally he wouldn’t put up with such disregard, especially from someone who should be more than a friend to him.

But this wasn’t about him, or his preferences. His character was in a relationship with Mio, so he couldn’t be bothered by this.

“Not at all, I’ve barely arrived,” Sakuma managed to say, thinking of scolding Miyoshi later for not telling him to expect Mio to be late.

Miyo- _Mio_ shifted the luggage in his arms as if the weight was bothering him.

Sakuma flinched; he knew Miyoshi could handle much more weight than this and it never occurred to him frail Mio wouldn’t.

“Here, let me hold that for you,” Sakuma finally offered.

“Oh, thank you Sakuma,” Mio said with relief, holding out the luggage for Sakuma to take even as he continued on to say, “but I don’t want to trouble you…”

“It’s no trouble,” Sakuma replied mechanically and finally took the luggage from him. It wasn’t as heavy as he expected. Was Mio the sort to stupidly pack light despite going to live in another city, not simply vacation there?

Sakuma gave Mio a look over. He wore a suit, but it didn’t seem as well made as Miyoshi’s. It was cheaper, and tight, but not made to fit his figure, like Miyoshi’s had been.

Maybe Mio was poor and simply didn’t own that many things.

Or, considering he was a prostitute, half what he owned wasn’t appropriate to take to live with his steady lover, and he was hoping Sakuma would finance new clothes.

Mio made an aborted gesture to link arms, flinched in contrition as he glanced around at the other patrons at the station and mouthed an apology.

Sakuma curbed his anger. What if someone that knew him had seen that? His eyes darted around the station, but while the number of uniformed men was large, he didn’t recognize anyone.

The faster they got away from the city, where someone might recognize Sakuma along with Mio, the better.

The train arrived, and Sakuma hoped all the baggage he was carrying was enough of an excuse for the way he rushed inside.

*

They’d been given a private compartment. Surprising, since he thought the General Staff Office had been funding this, but also a relief to have privacy. Mio wasn’t flaunting what he was blatantly, but kept giving himself away now and then, as if he had mastered seduction but not suppressing it.

A question formed in his mind, but before he could ask it, Mio spoke.

“I’ve never been on a train!” he said excitedly, looking at the walls of the compartment as if they were fascinating. “Have you, dear?”

Sakuma opened his mouth to reply, and then the words registered. _Dear_. He needed to stay in character.

“Sometimes,” he said, trying to not let tensions seep into his voice. They were alone in this room, how could the enemy be near? “I’ve moved around a bit, considering I’m in the military.” He flinched at how condescending the last sentence had sounded. He couldn’t help himself; wouldn’t it be obvious that he’d have travelled?

Mio chuckled...no... _giggled_ at his words. “Oh, I suppose so. Silly me. Do you always stay in private compartments like this? Oh, the seats feel so comfortable!”

He was now examining the benches, touching and pressing them.

Sakuma finally understood what was happening; Mio- _Miyoshi_ was checking the place for wires. He motioned with his hand silently in a way that was purely Miyoshi, telling Sakuma to keep talking.

“No, my comrades and I didn’t usually get cabins like this.” As he spoke, Miyoshi silently dropped to the floor and began examining under the benches and tables. Sakuma tried to think of what else to say. “There were too many of us and no reason for such a luxury. Our superior officers were, of course, the ones that had the honor of staying in these.”

To his horror, Miyoshi stepped on the bench, shoes and all, to examine the space over it. Sakuma swallowed his indignation and tried to continue. “Ah… I suppose since there was only me this time, they allowed me this benefit. Or maybe it was because the work I’ll be doing is usually reserved for someone higher than me.”

“Are these expensive, then?”

“Somewhat, yes.”

“But you still bought a ticket for me,” Mio _sounded_ touched, but Miyoshi wasn't even looking at him, now stepping on the other bench to look there.

_So, I’m supposed to have bought his part? I suppose it fits the cover he came up with. How do I reply?_

There was only one appropriate answer, and Sakuma was reluctant to say it, even as a farce.

He lowered his voice, hoping that would disguise the complete lack of emotions as he said, “Anything to have you near me.”

Miyoshi’s face went slack for a second, before he composed himself and continued rummaging for a minute before finally getting down from the couch.

“Lieutenant,” he said, regarding Sakuma with a slight smile. “You must have made easy conquests if you said such things to the ladies.”

The tone and way Miyoshi was looking at him made it seem like he wanted to examine Sakuma more closely. It made him shiver in fear and a sliver of thrill.

Hastily, he sat opposite of where Miyoshi was standing and focused on the fact that, clearly, Miyoshi had found nothing and they could speak freely.

“You could have at least taken your shoes off before dirtying where people sit,” he admonished. “And I don’t understand your point: wasn’t that the only correct reply to what you said?”

Miyoshi raised one eyebrow and walked to sit next to Sakuma, close enough their thighs were almost touching. He took out a cigarette from his inner coat pocket and offered one to Sakuma, who gladly accepted. The brand wasn’t Miyoshi’s usual one, but cheaper.

“If I’d heard someone approaching, I could have simply gotten down and acted like nothing was happening. If I’d taken my shoes off, I might not have had time to put them on again before someone walked in here.”

“...Oh,” Sakuma felt foolish now. He took a long drag of his cigarette. “And I suppose you must sit this close to me in case someone comes in as well.”

“Precisely. We’re lovers in a private compartment. Sitting next to each other is the _least_ one would expect.” His eyes twinkled with amusement.

“The least?” Sakuma echoed warily.

Miyoshi eyed him before smiling knowingly and saying, “I’m sure someone as...experienced as you can understand…”

Sakuma’s mind conjured some very licentious things debased people like those of D-Agency might dare do in a public space. He shuddered.

“I mean kissing and holding hands, of course.”

_You utter bastard. You implied more on purpose._

As if reading his thoughts, Miyoshi’s smile widened and he ducked his head, focusing on a drawn out exhale. “As for your earlier question: yes the only appropriate response was to say you wanted your lover near you. However, that doesn’t mean most would have thought of it, or said it so well. You must be quite the romantic.”

“I’m not-” Sakuma began and quickly stopped. But it was too late, he had said enough. He set his jaw and decided to say nothing else. Such information wouldn’t necessarily be a threat, but with Miyoshi he could never be certain the man wouldn’t see a connection he hadn’t. Or simply use the information against him somehow.

“You’re _not_ a romantic? How did you come to that conclusion? Did someone say something or were your trysts only ever sexual?”

Both, in fact. When he still attempted a relationship a lover accused him of being too cold. Which had been fine, since Sakuma had found him an annoying bore. And afterwards he’d been too fearful of discovery to initiate anything other than quick sexual contact now and then.

He couldn’t recall anyone that had made him heart beat fast enough for him to feel love, much less act romantic. He could have simply told them sweet things he didn’t actually feel, but he hadn’t felt like lying about his feelings.

“It doesn’t matter,” he finally said, “I agreed to make this fake relationship work. If...if my character is supposed to be so enamored that he’d drag his lover to live with him in another city, despite the danger of their relationship, I’ll try to say what I think he would have.”

“Hm, but the fact that you were able to come up with those words to begin with means you have the potential. You’ve missed out on attracting quite a number of women, if you haven’t been saying such things to them.”

 _When will this conversation be over?_ “Speaking of actions, must Mio be so obvious?”

The change of subject was blatant, but Miyoshi allowed it. “You think he’s been obvious?”

“You think you _haven’t_?”

Miyoshi frowned slightly. “Not me. Mio. You were doing well, continue to consider Miyoshi and Mio as completely separate people.”

“That isn’t so simple.”

“Maybe not, but it’s still feasible. And something you must manage.”

“Fine. Mio is clearly a homosexual. Anyone will be able to see that.”

“And?”

“Isn’t that...dangerous? Wouldn’t a homosexual be better at hiding what he is, to avoid being punished by society?”

“He hasn’t been flaunting it, Lieutenant. You’ve been noticing it because you’re the recipient of his affection and you’re aware of it. Most people wouldn’t observe two men talking enough to notice their body language and the way they look at each other. And even if some do…” Miyoshi shrugged. “They might be disgusted and shun the men, but not much more. Mio’s profession is being a prostitute; accusations of homosexuality mean nothing for his career.”

“But I’m in the military.”

“Yes, which is why I’ve allowed you to freely act distraught whenever Mio acts remotely affectionate in public, and why it’s not so strange that you act coldly towards him.”

“Shouldn’t Mio care about his lover’s situation a little more? I know you said he was selfish, but to this extent?”

“He does care. He simply forgets himself.”

“Like he forgot a soldier would have ridden the train before? Must he be that stupid?”

“That really bothered you. Are you indignant that someone wouldn’t have in mind the workings of the Army at all times? Mio was absent minded about it, though he isn’t too bright in general.”

“For the sake of the people we’re after? Because that might make them let the guard down?”

“That or make them think they can trick Mio into something. Of course, for that we first have to make them believe we really are nothing more than lovers.”

Sakuma knew better than to think on what that would mean. He focused elsewhere. “Do you always check places for listening devices or is it something about this enemy?”

“Whenever possible without threatening our cover, we do it.”

“What happens if you can’t search? Or if you do find one?”

“Either way, we remain in character no matter what.”

“So...it’s not that you thought the enemy would be capable of putting a wire in our compartment.”

“Judging by your tone, that has meaning to you. What is it?”

It was strange, speaking to Miyoshi with him so near and next to him, rather than in front. Sakuma then realized he had abandoned his cigarette for a while and decided to put it out as he answered.

“If the enemy could not only discover our assigned place but also infiltrate a train and plant a wire...wouldn’t that make them even more dangerous? They might just break into where we’ll stay and put something there, too.” He froze. “But not being able to put a wire here doesn't mean they wouldn't do it on the house.”

He felt himself going pale. What if there was a wire? Would they have to act like lovers at every second in it? To what length would they have to act to convince anyone listening? They could always fake sounds, but Miyoshi didn’t seem the sort to be satisfied with faking sounds. He’d want to actually go all the way, and would likely somehow realize Sakuma had done such things before. Or even worst: Miyoshi did agree to have both of them fake the sounds and Sakuma reacted just to that-

“ _Sakuma_ ,” Miyoshi called sharply, and placed a hand on his thigh.

The touch and his name on Miyoshi’s lips brought him back the present. “I...what?”

“What, you ask? I called you and you didn’t hear me. Not to mention how deathly pale you are. Is this fear we might have to act out constantly?”

“...Yes,” Sakuma agreed reluctantly.

Miyoshi’s hand finally left his leg. “A spy has to be ready to act in character anywhere, every day, every hour for months or years if necessary. And you knew we would have to act in front of an audience,” Miyoshi said, more matter of fact than scolding him. It helped stop Sakuma from snapping.

“I didn’t volunteer,” he pointed out. “And I don’t have your training. I agreed to give my best, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have limits.” He balled his hands into fists. “I understand the necessity and I believe I can manage a certain level of intimacy and minor actions of sexual content such as kissing but...if we need to have intercourse...I don’t think-”

Miyoshi sighed theatrically. “You’ll need to wrap your head around the possibility of it. It might come to that. But if it does, it’ll be later on, not soon.”

“Not...soon? Then the house-”

“Hasn’t been wired. Or if it has, the wire will have been removed when we arrive.”

“Oh.” Relief flooded him, along with confusion. “How are you so sure?”

“Lt. Col. Yuuki convinced your superiors to have the police comb through the house and keep a close watch on it until we arrive. The official excuse was searching for sensitive Army content the deceased may have left behind. And afterwards it was to ensure nothing would be stolen before a new tenant arrived.”

Remembering how the police sweep of Gordon’s house had ended in failure, Sakuma found himself questioning how effective the men would have been. “What if they missed something?”

“They didn’t, simply because there was nothing to be found. Tazaki went there and searched it himself. And if they hadn’t placed any then, they won't risk so now. At least not until they’re certain we really aren’t on their trail.”

“I don’t understand. Shouldn’t it be the opposite?”

“Of course not. Wires aren’t so easy to come by, are possible to be traced, and can reveal a lot of information such as wealth and resources about who acquired it. If our mastermind is truly intelligent and knowledgeable, he’ll refrain from bugging people that might simply discover it and use it against him. So long as they distrust us, they wouldn’t believe any licentious sounds we make near the wire, as that can be more easily faked than true actions.”

So the house wouldn’t be bugged. Sakuma finally allowed tension to completely leave his shoulders.

Miyoshi frowned. “I just said faking sounds wouldn’t be sufficient, why is that a relief to you?”

“...I didn’t think you’d be satisfied with just that,” Sakuma said looking out the window to avoid Miyoshi’s gaze. It wasn’t a lie, simply not the whole truth.

He could feel Miyoshi’s eyes boring into the back of his head.

“...I wouldn’t have made you do it if you clearly couldn’t act it out,” he said eventually. “That would be detrimental to the mission.”

That didn’t sway Sakuma in the slightest. That Miyoshi wouldn’t have jeopardized the mission was hardly surprising, and it didn’t change the issue.

Once again Sakuma found himself wishing he was able to be above such reactions. If only he’d had time to receive the D-Agency training or, better yet, if only he’d liked women.

“Since the train is safe I think I’ll try to sleep,” he said out loud for Miyoshi’s benefit. “Even if the house isn’t wired, the situation will still be tense when we get there.”

“What makes you think we’re safe here?” Miyoshi asked, sounding amused.

Sakuma turned to stare at him. “But...there weren’t any listening devices.”

“And? Consider the operation so far. What is this person’s usual method?”

He didn’t need to think long. “People. They use people. But wouldn’t taking action on a train be harder than in a city?”

“Only if you’re a passenger.”

“You think the prostitutes have infiltrated the staff?”

“No. They simply recruited the staff themselves.”

Sakuma opened his mouth, closed it then opened it again. “If the women have aid in the trains...it would make it easier for them to move from city to city quickly without being noticed.”

“Precisely.”

“I...can’t imagine what motivation the rail staff would have.”

Miyoshi snorted derisively. “Really? Unlike the prostitutes, the rail staff have one very clear impetus for this.”

“Well, I can’t-”

“You can. Just think for a moment. Can you really not think of anything the Imperial Army has done that might incur their wrath?”

“...Oh.”

“Yes?”

“We-I mean, the Army has been seizing control of some railways and unifying them.”

“And?”

“There’s more? Ah...trains have also been drafted for the use of dislocating troops.”

“Taking control of railways and forcing trains to service the Army instead of paying people both result in loss of revenue, which in turn result in the layoff of workers.”

“...The ones who remain might be bitter about coworkers that were let go, and scared they might be next.”

Miyoshi said nothing, but the way he smiled slightly seemed to indicate he was pleased at Sakuma’s conclusion.

“Do you think someone on the staff will try to test us like they did the other night?” He hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with another of Mio’s clients in broad daylight in a decently crowded train.

Miyoshi saw his face and chortled. “I verified the passenger list and none of them were clients. Rest assured you won’t need to save Mio from any of _that_.”

“But am I going to need to save him from something else?”

“We’ll have to wait and see. Though if it’s any consolation, anything will happen in this train, not on our second one.”

Sakuma nearly questioned that, but realized the answer before he needed to: the second train they'd be switching to would lead them to Matsue. The ringleader would likely rather avoid anything happening that might link the city to suspicious activity.

“That’s it? We do nothing until they come to us?”

Miyoshi’s eyes gleamed with an amusement Sakuma had learned to be wary of.

“Nothing? Oh no, in the meanwhile, I believe you need another test.”

Tensing again, Sakuma readied his protest, but Miyoshi cut him off before he could say the first syllable.

“After your earlier reaction, do you really think you’re in any position to say it’s unnecessary?”

Sakuma flinched and instantly deflated. He had to admit Miyoshi had a point; after reacting so badly to how far they might have to take their pretense, it only made sense to verify what, exactly, he could handle.

“...I concede you have reason for concern. Very well,” he tried to not shudder as he spoke, “what will it be?”

Miyoshi put his cigarette out on the ashtray. It made Sakuma realize he too had barely smoked it, since he’d been speaking so much.

Miyoshi then stood up and placed himself in front of Sakuma, leaning on the table behind him in that peculiar way that made it seem nonchalant yet emphasized his body.

He motioned Sakuma closer with a finger as he said, “I believe you said you could manage ‘minor actions of sexual content such as kissing’. Therefore, show me you can. Kiss me now.”

Sakuma couldn’t help it, he smiled thinly. Miyoshi, naturally, noticed.

“Oh? You find this amusing rather than sickening?”

“It just feels like the order of things has been inverted. Kissing should have been the first test.” He stood up and, with the little space between the bench and table, that meant he and Miyoshi were almost touching.

Tilting his head slightly, Miyoshi looked up at Sakuma. “If we were trying to initiate an actual relationship, perhaps. As it is first I needed to know if you could react. Now I need to take it one step further and see if you can take the lead. Rather than do nothing but allow your body to enjoy itself, I want you to show me how well you can handle having the initiative.”

Miyoshi moved his head closer, and Sakuma could now feel his breath ghosting his chin. “Luckily, you have experience,” Miyoshi said, lowering his voice, “so it won’t be necessary to teach you. Do like you did yesterday; imagine someone else when you close your eyes.”

Once again, he hadn’t specified where Sakuma should kiss, but Sakuma knew this time, kissing him anywhere but his mouth wouldn’t work. He wasn’t too worried; his body wasn’t that depraved to the point that he would lose himself over kissing.

With a tired sigh, Sakuma reached out and gently grabbed Miyoshi’s chin with a hand. The other he momentarily considered leaving uselessly at his side, but chose instead to place on Miyoshi’s shoulder.

Miyoshi said nothing. His own hands were by his sides, grabbing the corner of the table behind him. His face now wore Miyoshi’s usual mask of vague yet polite amusement.

“Close your eyes,” Sakuma instructed quietly, the distance making him whisper instinctively. Miyoshi’s lips twitched with amusement but he obliged.

Sakuma leaned in, covering the last inch between them, and lightly touching their foreheads together, before closing his eyes.

His own breathing was slightly unsteady, while Miyoshi’s was slow and evenly paced. This close, Sakuma finally caught a subtle yet jarringly sweet scent and recognized it as one of the perfumes he’d chosen last night.

 _Good_ , he disliked it and, as such, it should help keep his wits about him.

The hand on Miyoshi’s jawline tilted his head for a better angle, and Miyoshi allowed it without any resistance.

Finally, Sakuma brushed their lips together.

Miyoshi’s felt smooth and soft, whereas his own were chapped. Sakuma paused like that, wondering what to do.

How did one go about acting like they despised kissing a man as they were doing it? Reluctance might be the best answer.

So he hesitated, and didn’t move the hand on Miyoshi’s shoulder to his hip, or caress his face with the other one.

Miyoshi still didn’t move.

Sakuma applied some pressure to the kiss and opened his mouth slightly, tongue darting out and swiping at Miyoshi’s lips. Miyoshi parted them immediately.

Knowing he was being slightly insolent, Sakuma pulled away a little, opening his eyes. He watched as Miyoshi opened his own, though his mouth remained partly opened. It was a good look on him, but the stillness didn’t suit him, somehow.

“Was that admissible?” Sakuma asked, and couldn’t help the amusement in his voice; he knew Miyoshi would never be satisfied with so little.

He watched as Miyoshi gave him a small smile to match his own.

“That was terrible,” he said, but it sounded like teasing. “No passion or romance. Go all the way, this time.”

“I suppose. Close your eyes again.”

When Miyoshi did, Sakuma took his hands and placed them on each side of Miyoshi’s head, and leaned in again.

He pressed their lips together more roughly this time. He didn't use his tongue, instead biting lightly on Miyoshi’s lower lip.

Miyoshi groaned and quickly parted his lips, and this time Sakuma didn’t pull back, but snaked his tongue inside his mouth. It tasted faintly of the cigarettes.

Miyoshi gasped around it and grasped the front of Sakuma’s suit with his hands. The fact he was no longer using his hands for support, as well as the fact they were pulling at Sakuma, ended up forcing him backwards into the table with Sakuma going along with him, now pressing him there. Sakuma thought his weight forcing his back to dig into the table must be uncomfortable and pulled his body away.

Miyoshi gave a small whine of complaint and tried to tug him back again, but Sakuma stood his ground; the less contact the better for his self-control. Although as things were, he didn’t feel it fraying at all.

His tongue tasted the roof of Miyoshi’s mouth as he tried to keep his actions hesitant and unsure. Despite being well aware his lack of touch and halting movements mustn’t have felt that good, he still elicited soft moans from Miyo-

Except this was probably not Miyoshi, but the Mio persona again. He couldn’t imagine Miyoshi being this passive and pliant, while responding so readily to every simple touch.

A part of Sakuma was complaining about it, but mostly he found the tediousness of Mio was the best thing he could ask for.

He imagined Miyoshi would have taken more control. Wouldn’t have relented until Sakuma was flush against him, and would have made him work for entrance to his mouth. Or, maybe he'd have been the one dominating the kiss, biting-

Sakuma snapped back to reality to realize he’d deepened the kiss involuntarily, tilting Miyoshi’s head further so his tongue could go deeper. One if his hands was now on at the back of Miyoshi’s head, and the other on his lower back, pressing him closer.

Realizing his mistake, he pulled back again, removing his hands.

A hand shot out and latched itself to his hair. For a second, Sakuma thought it would hold him in place and maybe even tug at it, but after a moment, the hand left him again.

_Enough._

Sakuma broke the kiss.

*

Miyoshi noticed the moment Sakuma lost himself, thinking of someone else.

His kiss was bad. Not due to a lack of technique, but because Sakuma was clearly trying to force himself past his reluctance.

Strictly speaking, with the personality and background he gave Mio, it wouldn’t be a breach of character to have him be bold and knowledgeable enough in this to be able to coach Sakuma into something, but Miyoshi wanted to see what Sakuma could do on his own, and also considered that being nothing but passive and easily pleased would put Sakuma more at ease.

Whether Miyoshi liked this sort of kissing or not was of no matter. This wasn’t about him, but about Sakuma and his lover, Mio.

Stray thoughts of what he’d do if this were with him surfaced. Miyoshi was slightly surprised at having them during a mission, and coupled with the dream he’d awoken from, he was taken aback and annoyed at his lack of discipline, and got rid of such nonsense before it impacted his impeccable performance as Mio.

And that was when the kiss _changed_. It seemed like Sakuma had taken his suggestion to heart and had lost himself in a fantasy. He forced himself on Miyoshi, hands moving and finding purchase on his back and had, pushing them closer still.

Sakuma kissed him hungrily now, but not too overbearing. His tongue darted and tasted inside his mouth and tried to coach Mio into responding rather than simply submitting.

Whoever Sakuma was thinking of seemed like quite an interesting partner.

Before Miyoshi could allow Mio to respond in kind, Sakuma seemed to choke, signaling that he’d come back to reality. Miyoshi felt the hands leave him, and Sakuma getting ready to draw back.

His hand reached out to grasp Sakuma’s hair, intent on reeling him back in-

Who reached out?

Mio. Of course it had been Mio. It made perfect sense for his character to have wanted to keep going with Sakuma, and hair pulling wouldn’t have been beyond him.

Nonetheless, the self-questioning made him halt, and in the end Miyoshi decided to abort the gesture all together and allow Sakuma to end things. It was better to not push him too far in one go.

He opened his eyes and watched Sakuma move back with evident consternation. Despite not needing to -the kiss hadn’t become that messy- Miyoshi licked his own lips. It had the intended result: Sakuma’s eyes darted to it before he flinched and looked away.

“You pass. Whoever it is you were thinking of at the end,” Miyoshi said, and was amused by how Sakuma paled, clearly not expecting Miyoshi to have noticed despite how obvious it’d been. “Think of them again from hereon and you should do sufficiently well.”

Sakuma tensed, looking dismayed. An interesting reaction: was he feeling guilty over using this someone for his fantasy or self-reproach for having so easily kissed a man? Both, most likely.

Miyoshi decided to wait and try to pry information on who it had been later, when Sakuma wasn’t so high strung.

Sakuma ungraciously sat down again and let out a nervous breath. “What now?” he asked, and Miyoshi thought he was hoping for a distraction.

Miyoshi didn’t have time to respond, as they heard raised voices from far away.

*

Sakuma snapped his attention to the door, listening attentively as he tried to make out what the commotion was about.

“This is a complete breach of privacy!”

Whoever the person was yelling at replied at a normal volume, and Sakuma couldn’t hear their reply.

“I don’t care, it’s not my fault someone was so careless!”

Miyoshi smiled dangerously. “It seems they’re taking action. And it’s something we can use against them. Good.”

“What’s going on?”

“There’s no time to explain,” Miyoshi said, though he still seemed nonchalant about the situation. “Listen to what I have to say and follow it exactly. Understood?”

Sakuma nodded.

“When a staff member comes here and explains the situation, be affronted. Refuse adamantly, and feel free to be as angry as you like about it. Do so until I signal for you give in and relent.”

“What’s the signal?”

“You’ll know it when it happens. Now, after you relent, demand the staff’s name. After that, turn to me and insist that I should leave. When I do, threaten the staff in a voice low enough that only they can hear it. Tell them that if word gets out of what they find, you’ll accuse them of attempting to implicate you of unsavory things and you will personally ruin their life.”

“Ah, so  they’re performing bag searches, _”_ Sakuma voiced out loud.

Miyoshi didn’t reply, but he looked slightly pleased as he continued his instructions. “After that, finally allow them to proceed. Stay here, don’t come looking for me.”

Sakuma nodded again, feeling happier now that the acting would require no immorality on his part.

Before he could think of asking for more details, there was a knock on the door. He stood up and went over to open it.

A staff member stood there. Around his age, but much smaller.

Maybe, some time ago, Sakuma wouldn’t have noticed anything strange about the man. However after having to deal with D-Agency, where poker faces were the norm and any real feelings had to be read on the subtlest of nuances, the man was an open book in comparison.

And perhaps also because Sakuma had been looking for it, he noticed how, for a staff member going around being yelled and berated by patrons, the man didn’t look that miserable. Instead he looked almost excited.

“I apologize for this, sirs, but a problem has occurred.”

It turned out that, allegedly, a wealthy passenger had returned from the toilet to find his briefcase open and an expensive ornament missing. Now, the staff was looking through people’s personal belongings after it.

“This is completely absurd,” Sakuma scowled. It was easy sounding affronted at such a situation. “I _refuse_ to be treated so poorly.”

The staff member was cowed by his anger, and Sakuma was reminded that outside of D-Agency, his size and strength tended to intimidate people if he wasn’t careful.

“I apologize sir, but it’s out of my hands…”

“I don’t care! How _dare_ I be accused of being a common thief! Neither I nor my… friend here have left this compartment since the train set off, and yet my privacy must be breached like this? Unacceptable!”

Behind the man, other disgruntled passengers that had left their own compartments murmured, clearly on his side.

Sakuma decided to test something, and went further, saying, “I’m a Lieutenant of the Imperial Japanese Army, I demand to be treated with respect!”

The other passengers nodded in agreement, but the staff reacted like Sakuma thought he might.

Loathing sparked in his eyes briefly before he hid the expression by bowing.

“I understand, sir. But I have to obey orders. Rest assured I will conduct the search alone and respect your privacy.”

“And how will I know you won’t be adding anything to my things?”

“You are free to watch, of course.”

“Oh, _am_ I?” After being forced to keep a tight leash on his reactions, it was fun to be given free rein to snap. “I think I should be free to _refuse_ , too!”

“Sakuma…” a voice said softly from beside him.

Sakuma turned his head to find Mio was next to him, biting his lip nervously and placing a hand on Sakuma’s shoulder.

“Maybe we should just let him do his job,” he said quietly, glancing down. “I’m sure he’ll be discreet. We’re attracting a lot of attention…”

That seemed like a signal. Sakuma turned back to the staff.

“You, what’s your name?” he snapped.

“D-Daiki, sir.”

Sakuma turned to Mio again. “Mio,” he said, realizing it was the first he’d spoken the character’s name, “leave us. You’re already distraught and I rather you didn’t have to watch such incivility.”

“Come with me,” Mio said.

Sakuma removed the hand on his shoulder gently. “No, I need to stay to make sure nothing is added or removed from our belongings. Now go.” The last sentence was said with a tone of finality Miyoshi would never have obeyed. Mio, on the other hand, nodded while looking flustered and left quickly.

Sakuma waited until he was gone to polite bow to the passengers on the corridor before shutting the door, leaving him alone with the staff member without prying eyes. He grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the closed door, moving closer so he could lower his voice, still enjoying the overblown personality he now apparently had.

“Well, Daiki,” he said in the most threatening whisper he could muster, “I’m going to allow you to rummage through my belongings under my supervision. If, afterwards, I hear word spreading of what you might have seen in my belongings or his, or people look at me strangely, I will contact my superiors _and_ the police, accuse you of setting me up and then _hunt you down_. Understood?”

Daiki nodded vigorously as he tried to stammer promises of absolute discretion and silence. Sakuma waited a minute as if considering it before finally letting him go.

Gasping, the man rushed to the nearest thing he could get his hands on.

Sakuma wasn’t sure if Miyoshi needed time for whatever it was he had planned, so scowled and told Daiki to go slowly and with care, lest he damage something.

He opened Sakuma’s things first. There was, of course, nothing of note to be found, though Daiki did hesitate at the three vials the spies had given Sakuma.

Unsure about what they were, Sakuma crossed his arms and growled. “I believe you said an expensive ornament was stolen, not vials,” he said sharply. “Get _on_ with it.”

Daiki hastily put them back and went over to Mio’s things.

There was nothing suspicious to be found there either. At least, not anything a spy might use, but the clothing and perfume certainly would bring about another sort of suspicion. Then again, that’s precisely what they were going for. Though Sakuma had to admit he was half surprised Miyoshi hadn’t carried anything that might aid the mission.

Daiki was quickly becoming deflated and edgy as it was clear there was nothing to be found.

“Are you satisfied?” Sakuma asked. With a wince, the man nodded and left while bowing and apologizing over and over again. Sakuma shut the door soundly in his face.

He then sat back down and smiled to himself. It’d been fun and easy to act like that; he’d been able to vent his frustrations on someone that clearly wasn’t an innocent party.

Although…

He’d certainly looked angry at the mention of the military. And, given the reasons why, Sakuma supposed he wasn’t exactly in the wrong to be bitter…

It sobered him up immediately, but he tried to shake off any guilt.

The Imperial Japanese Army was defending Japan. In times of war, when men were risking their lives for the country, some concessions had to be made. It gave Daiki no right to aid a serial killer.

He wondered what Miyoshi was doing. Whatever it was, Sakuma was sure he was fine and he was glad for some respite from his presence.

He didn’t try to examine his thoughts, instead trying to empty his head and simply enjoy the scenery rolling past quickly out the window.

With Miyoshi there, he felt tense, worried about every little action, every little tell, and he’d soon have to live with him. He had to treasure any time away from his presence he got.

And yet… he couldn’t rest this way either. There were enemies on the train, and there would be in the city.

Fear of being killed by the enemy or by Miyoshi, he didn’t exactly have a peaceful choice.

*

No one else bothered Sakuma and, after half an hour of solitude, Miyoshi came back.

He carefully closed the door then threw himself at the bench opposite Sakuma, somehow still looking dignified as he did it.

“So,” he said, smiling impishly. “How did things go after I left? Give me the details.”

Sakuma, who for once had enjoyed it and was proud of his performance, couldn’t help grinning slightly as he retold what was said and done.

By the end of it, Miyoshi was shaking as he chuckled in his usual muffled, breathy way.

“You embraced the role of overly indignant officer quite well. I suppose it’s a role that is close to your heart.”

Sakuma shrugged, acknowledging the jab had truth to it. “You should see some of my comrades if you think that was exaggerated. Some would have brought out their swords.”

Miyoshi shook his head, still amused. “Was mentioning your military status something you did on purpose?”

“Yes, I wanted to see how he’d react.”

“Well _done_.”

He knew that Miyoshi’s praise was likely only because he had expected so little from Sakuma to begin with. Even so, he couldn’t stop feeling warm about it.

“What is in those three vials in my things?” he asked hastily. “I wasn’t sure if he should open them or not.”

“It would have been fine even if he had. They were nothing strange.”

“What are they?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself about. If they’re needed, you’ll be told.”

The evasiveness made Sakuma frown, but he had enough questions to agree to put it aside for now.

“Was he looking for gears a spy might carry?”

“Yes, or any letters that might reveal a secret motive behind your allocation.”

“Are you really not bringing any special tools for this mission?”

Miyoshi rolled his shoulders. “A spy’s best tool should be himself. Especially when going on a mission where people are suspicious of you before you’ve even arrived. That said, there were a number of ways I could have carried necessary equipment that wouldn’t be easily seized and searched, but this wasn’t the case. Anything I need and can’t procure in the city, I’ll have to request one of the others to come bring it to me in secrecy.”

“I see. What were you doing when you left?”

“Since you managed to get the man’s name, I went to the staff’s quarters and rummaged through _his_ belongings.”

“And did you find anything?”

“Quite a lot,” he sounded nonchalant about it, as if the thought of not finding anything had never crossed his mind. “The missing ornament, for one thing. Not that its location had ever been in question, and it should have been mysteriously found somewhere on the floor by now. I also grasped his motivation for doing this, as well as his link to the mastermind.”

Sakuma perked up. “So you know…?”

“No, of course not. The person is quite shrewd, and avoided revealing their identity. They got in contact with Daiki through another female member that boarded the train once and have spoken through letters ever since. The letters from the mastermind were typed, so I wasn’t able to find even their calligraphy.”

“Oh…” Sakuma tried to hide his disappointment. He should have known it wouldn’t be so easy. “So...that’s it?”

“Hardly. I also spoke with Daiki.” He sighed mildly. “He was rather bothersome.”

“Why?”

“His motivation for doing this was revenge and family. It seems his father and brother also worked in this business but were both let go recently and now Daiki is the only one with any income in his family. And he has children to feed, too.”

“...Oh.”

“He reacted quite badly to the thought of being found out. Nothing I hadn’t considered and planned for, but it was still a minor hassle.”

“What did he do?”

“Pulled out a knife and tried to stab me.” Miyoshi said it as if he was reading a weather forecast from the newspaper. “But the truly vexing part was when he naturally failed to so much as scratch me and decided to try and kill himself instead. To avoid bringing shame to his family it seemed.”

Sakuma felt his gut twist.

“He...tried?”

“I stopped him, obviously. And convinced him not to try something so stupid after I left.”

“Because you can still use him,” Sakuma guessed.

Miyoshi’s gaze turned sharp immediately, and he scrutinized Sakuma silently for a minute before replying in a slower than usual voice. “...No. He’s too easily swayed. I have his mail and information on how his letter style was, so someone in D-Agency will simply continue the correspondence with the mastermind in his stead.

“We knew something might happen on the train ride, so Hatano went ahead last night and will be at the next station. He’ll embark and take care of Daiki so he’s removed to somewhere he cannot threaten our side of the operation.”

“I don’t understand, wouldn't it be easier to simply let him kill himself?”

“Of course.”

“Then...why? I’m sure sentiment wasn't involved.”

“It wasn’t.” Miyoshi’s eyes bore into him, and he looked serious now instead of bored. He seemed to weigh his next words carefully. “Do you really not know? It’s D-Agency’s rule and motto. You’re well aware of it.”

“What-”

_Don’t die, don’t kill._

“Suicide is included?”

“When we are the ones to clearly cause it, yes.”

Now Sakuma was openly staring back at Miyoshi, and after a moment he bitterly spit out, “you had no qualms breaking it for _me_.”

Miyoshi inhaled audibly. “Lieutenant, you are _not_ this stupid. Think and break through whatever it is that’s blocking you.”

The emotion in Miyoshi’s voice -not irritation exactly, more like insistence- surprised Sakuma.

_Think? Am I missing something?_

Don’t die, don’t kill.

They hadn’t killed Gordon. He hadn’t let Daiki kill himself.

He looked down at his hands. They were shaking slightly. Had they known about him? Was that why?

“What did I do to deserve the special treatment?”

There was a hiss and next thing he knew Miyoshi was in front of him, so fast Sakuma half thought Miyoshi had jumped over the table.

“I am _not_ going to coddle you on this matter,” he said through gritted teeth, leaning down and pulling Sakuma to him by the tie. “That would be demeaning and I think you’re better than that. Do _not_ disappoint me. Once again: think. Concentrate. It’s so very simple, _you should be able to understand_.”

Sakuma blinked; the pull at his tie wasn’t enough to hurt or hinder his breathing. What caught his attention was how aggravated Miyoshi seemed to be.

Apparently trying to understand what he’d done was the way to go. So what did that leave him…?

He could only think of one thing, but he could hardly believe it.

“You...were never really going to let me kill myself?”

For a moment so brief Sakuma wondered if he hadn't simply imagined it, a look of open relief crossed Miyoshi's face, before he promptly let go of Sakuma and sat down next to him, face reticent again.

“Obviously,” he said.

Sakuma bristled. “How was it obvious? You lured me into a trap so you could do it. You suggested I let you be my interpreter and used that power to promise Gordon I’d spill my guts and then purposely pretended to fail so I’d have to do it!”

“What would have happened if you died? What would the consequences have been for D-Agency?”

“You’d get rid of me.”

“Pathetic. Think before you answer.”

Frustrated, Sakuma tried to think back to the circumstances of the case…

_Oh._

“If I had died, you would have had a harder time finding an excuse to go back into the house for the codes, since you would have had to take care of my corpse and I was your superior.”

“Just that?”

“There’s more? Well…” He recalled a conversation he’d have with Lt. Col. Yuuki. “The relationship between D-Agency and the General Staff Office was hardly ideal, and you needed to convince them to give you more funding. I was representing them. If a liaison who shouldn’t even have been involved had died, even if through suicide, the General Staff Office could have used that as an excuse to refuse funding on the grounds that my loss meant failure.”

“And even without that motivation, we still had the D-Agency motto to follow. Now, what would we have gained if you’d died?”

His thinking was clearer now, and this time he understood what Miyoshi was really saying. “Nothing much. That is, you could have tried threatening or blackmailing me into leaving if you wanted.”

Sakuma closed his eyes and resisted the urge to hide his face in his hands. “What were you trying to do with that elaborate harakiri plot, then?”

“You strode into D-Agency and looked at us like you were so superior. You refused to listen to our words and spouted nonsense such as the honor of dying and blindly obeying. We wanted to teach you a lesson; to humiliate you, one way or another. There was a bet going. We do that often. Most of us bet you would forgo your beliefs at the last moment to save yourself, some thought you would truly be stupid enough to try to go through with it. Even if you had, we’d still have humiliated and scared you by saving you and then revealing the code’s location.”

It sounded like them. Elaborate and doubly deceptive while disgracing him but following rules flawlessly.

He was feeling light headed now.

“You weren’t trying to force me to kill myself,” he said in disbelief to himself.

For a minute, only silence answered him.

“...Who did you know,” Miyoshi’s voice was slow and almost tender, “that was forced to kill themselves?”

Sakuma’s eyes snapped open and he turned to Miyoshi, stricken. “ _What?_ ”

“It’s quite obvious, really,” despite the words, Miyoshi sounded simply factual, not mocking. “Despite the fact that you’ve shown above average intelligence and the ability to think through and understand motivations, you couldn’t see something that our motto alone gave away.

“Moreover, you acted like the attempted murder wasn’t so strange. You’ve been extremely wary of us, yet you haven’t been angry about the attempt.  Almost as if it was expected.

“All of that together reveals you have a past trauma. Someone you knew was forced or convinced to commit suicide by others, and those people were never punished for it. It must have been long ago, perhaps in your childhood, since you’re no longer constantly hurting from the memory, but it has seeped into your psyche to this point.”

Sakuma blanched.

“...Yes. He hanged himself, and I was the one to find him. I was ten.” He couldn’t look Miyoshi in the eye, instead focusing on his fisted hands.

“And the Army’s treatment of death must have hardly helped,” Miyoshi stated dryly. “What were the circumstances?”

“ _I’m not telling you that._ ”

“Fine.”

Sakuma blinked and turned to look at Miyoshi again. “Fine?” he echoed.

Miyoshi shrugged. “You're clearly at your wits end as it is, and I’ve come to the conclusion knowing the details aren’t vital at the moment. I can handle you with what I know so far, so I can wait to piece this together myself, or pry it from you at a better time. The most important issue right now is that you fully acknowledge that D-Agency does not die or kill. This is something you too must follow through. Have you understood that, at least?”

“I...yes. I think I believe you. And I’m…” he stopped and shook his head. “Nevermind, I won’t apologize for thinking you were all one step away from attempted murder.”

That seemed to amuse Miyoshi slightly. “Hm, you should at least apologize to me for the time and patience I’ve just wasted listening to your idiocy.”

“I don’t think I’ll be apologizing for that either.” It seemed like the right reply, for some reason.

Miyoshi made a sound of mock indignation. “I’ll take it from you, then.”

“What?”

Rather than replying, Miyoshi laid down on the seat. His head rested on Sakuma’s thigh, face turned away from him.

“...What are you doing? Is this another test?”

“As well as punishment. I’ve grown tired of dealing with you. So I’ll rest to restore my intelligence while you have to deal with a man sleeping on your lap. Move me and I’ll do worse.”

“Aren’t you damning yourself? My legs are hardly comfortable.” He recalled lovers complaining how hard they were to lie on.

“Yes, they’re all hard muscle. But I’ve slept on much worse, and it’s worth it to feel you squirm. Now be quiet. I suggest using this time for some much needed introspection.”

And to make it clear his words were final, Miyoshi closed his eyes.

Sakuma stared. He couldn’t muster any anger, however.

Miyoshi hadn’t been out to kill him. It didn’t mean he was safe, or that he could reveal his sexuality. Humiliation and blackmail were still the likely results if he did.

Nonetheless...it changed the way he thought about Miyoshi's character. He was dangerous, but not cruel to the point of murder. It changed _so much_.

Remaining in a position unmoving for a long time was something Sakuma had had to master long ago, so it was easy to do so now.

He basked in the overwhelming relief he felt for some indeterminable amount of time before finally noticing Miyoshi’s breathing had evened out. He could hardly believe Miyoshi had really managed to fall asleep like that.

A strand of hair had escaped from behind Miyoshi’s ear and was poking his eyelid.

Gingerly, Sakuma reached out and carefully placed it back behind his ear. It felt silky to the touch, unlike his own hair.

He resisted the urge to to touch it more; all the spies were light sleepers, after all.

He closed his own eyes and drifted away.

*

They’d been taught a state of consciousness that allowed them to receive the restorative properties of sleep while retaining alertness.

He felt Sakuma’s hand brush away the errant lock of hair, and wondered if this was it. That they had somehow fixed Sakuma’s issue before they’d even arrived in their destination.

Miyoshi didn’t think so. Trauma did not go away so easily. Even if Sakuma now believed they hadn’t been trying to kill him, it didn’t mean other things wouldn’t trigger the same fear.

Still, he had to begrudgingly admit Sakuma had been handling it well, all things considered.

And Miyoshi thought he knew the circumstances of the suicide. Morality and social norms, most likely. It would explain the Lieutenant’s zealous grasp of it despite being intelligent enough to go past it when needed.

Lt. Col. Yuuki must have known, of that Miyoshi had no doubt. He’d known Sakuma had a trauma pertaining to morality and sent him off to act like a homosexual.

That felt slightly heavy handed, even for him, which only made Miyoshi certain Lt. Col. Yuuki thought Sakuma could go past his own demons.

However...

_“This case isn’t like the Gordon one. It will require a mindset the man might not have. The moment you notice that he is unable to see things as a spy should, report back to me and abort the operation.”_

_“Of course.”_

_“I’m not speaking solely about his stance on sexual acts, Miyoshi.”_

_“I don’t understand.”_

_“You will, in time. From my understanding, the motivation behind these murders will prove to be interesting, to say the least. Of course, that means nothing, as the D-Agency should do what it’s been told to. There should be no personal feelings involved.”_

_“Of course. Ah, you fear the Lieutenant will disregard our orders if they clash with his personal view of things.”_

_“Yes. If he cannot cast sentiment aside, he is not suited for D-Agency.”_

Whatever Lt. Col. Yuuki had told Miyoshi to look out for had nothing to do with this. Something else would truly be the test for the Lieutenant.

Regardless, his orders were to observe and terminate the mission if Sakuma was unfit. What Miyoshi did up to that point, whether he pushed the Lieutenant or did nothing, was up to his absolute discretion until told otherwise.

For now, he planned to drag Sakuma through the mission, against his personal demons and whatever sentiment he might have in the future, and bring him back to D-Agency in one piece.

It had nothing to do with affection. Of course not. That would be ridiculous. He’d simply come to the conclusion the Lieutenant was too promising to be so quickly cast aside.

He heard the Lieutenant’s breathing even out and surmised he’d fallen asleep.

A hand gently caressed his head a few times before resting on his head.

Miyoshi knew Sakuma had done it unconsciously, maybe imagining someone else on his lap, and since he didn’t mind the touch he didn’t try to remove it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * **Important announcement** : Holidays are here. I’m going on a trip next week which sadly means I won’t have time/means to write chapters for two weeks. I tried making this chapter long and with content that might satisfy you for a while. Hopefully I’ve managed that.
> 
> *On the harakiri: I sincerely doubt they were planning to let Sakuma go through with it. I’m sure of it, in fact. There are the reasons mentioned by the characters in the chapter, as well as the fact we the audience watched those spies refuse to kill no matter the situation. If they didn’t break the rule for those other times, they wouldn’t have done it for someone so easy to remove like Sakuma. Moreover, images of a manga published long before the anime show Miyoshi kicking (yes, kicking) the sword away from Sakuma before he could do it. So there’s also a somewhat canon evidence that they’d have stopped him.
> 
> *Odagiri and canon divergence: initially I considered simply stating this fic happened before episode 12, to avoid turning it canon divergent. However, I admit that I thought adapting canon to the existence of the serial killings felt more interesting, especially when considering Odagiri and Sakuma’s situations. As such, although ultimately Odagiri was given the same mission as in the episode, circumstances have been changed slightly to fit the existence of the fic’s situation.
> 
> *Japanese trains in WWII: I would like to apologize for this part. Research on train insides, routes and situations during the time period proved difficult and after wasting over a day not writing because I was researching, I decided to forgo it so I could focus on the chapter. That the military were unifying and using trains isn’t from my mind, but information I found. However, sources aren’t too trustworthy in that regard either. Overall, I apologize if the interior (private compartments etc) and other things pertaining to the railway were historically inaccurate.


	8. Chapter 8

Exhaustion had given Sakuma a reprieve from his worries in the form a dreamless sleep.

By the time he woke up, Miyoshi had already left his lap and was reading a book on the seat in front of him.

“We’re nearly there,” Miyoshi said without looking up from the book, “You likely felt the change in speed and woke up.”

Sakuma nodded silently and looked out of the window. Now that he was calmer, he felt slightly ashamed of his behavior.

The way he’d panicked then made a fool of himself by not realizing D-Agency wasn’t interested in his death…

He had reasons behind both, but that didn’t stop him from nearly wincing at the memories.

Miyoshi’s opinion on him must have lowered. If it could be lowered, that is. It shouldn’t matter what the spy thought of him, yet it did. Maybe it was only expected; he had pride too.

Before he could stop himself, he glanced at Miyoshi.

He looked serene, reading steadily, and Sakuma had to, not for the first time, acknowledge how good he looked.

He would have to remember that just because Miyoshi hadn’t attempted _murder_ , he was still not in any form trustworthy.

More importantly, Sakuma wondered if his dreaming would be affected by the lessening of his fear. He hoped not.

He realized he’d been staring too long when Miyoshi finally looked up.

“Are you that riveted by my appearance?” he asked, looking amused.

Sakuma scowled. “Don’t think that highly of yourself. I just...”

“Hm?”

Sakuma’s mind fished for a decent excuse and surprisingly found one. “I’ve been meaning to ask something for a while now, but the last time I tried you told me I had exhausted my number of questions for the day. I was wondering if you would answer it now.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, since Sakuma did have something he’d been meaning to ask. He wondered if he’d managed to fool him.

Maybe he did, because Miyoshi replied, “I think you might as well ask now. This train is nearly approaching its end, and we won’t have a private compartment in the next one.”

“Why is D-Agency so certain the mastermind is still in Matsue? Wouldn’t be smarter for him to leave?”

“Ah, so we’ve come back to that. Last time, you had decided to try and understand it yourself, have you given up on that?”

“No. In fact, I’ve come up with an explanation and wanted to know if it’s correct.”

“That’s better. Go on.” Miyoshi closed his book but, instead of focusing on Sakuma, looked out the window.

“I initially thought that maybe Noriaki had some information the killers wanted. However, if all they wanted was information, why kill him afterwards? By killing him, they forced the military to find a substitute for his job, as well as alert people to a possible threat in Matsue.

“Therefore...this can’t be about acquiring information. For someone with the resources and skills to get this serial killing underway, prying information off Noriaki would certainly have been feasible and killing him would only hinder them.”

Miyoshi, still looking out the window, hummed. Sakuma took it as a sign he was on the right track.

“Then...rather than getting information out of the man, there was something he’d found out they wanted gone, maybe. And since they waited until he was away from Matsue to kill him, it would mean it’s something to do with the city. But what could possibly be happening that they cannot remove from that specific place?”

Finally, Miyoshi turned to look at him again. “In times of war, it’s only natural that foreign cargo be more carefully examined. Especially now, when we’re still at the start of one and all personnel wish to show their willingness and patriotism by catching any illegal activity.”

“You’re saying as if after a while they won’t.”

“A while ago you’d have stated that with utter disbelief,” Miyoshi pointed out, and Sakuma couldn't discern if this was praise, mockery or more likely a mixture of both. “But yes, after a while war will take its toll, mentally and physically. People will be more willing to let things slide...for a high price. But for now, only a few will do so.”

“So, D-Agency believes Noriaki found evidence of some sort of illegal cargo coming or going and was killed before he could investigate further, or announce it?”

“There are a myriad of possibilities that Noriaki could have uncovered. However, considering Matsue’s location it is possible to narrow them down to some more likely options. I assume you’ve looked it up.”

“Of course.”

“Anything interesting about it?”

Sakuma closed his eyes and pictured the map in his head. _What was different about it? The size of the place? The tide? It’s closeness to-_

_Ah._

“It’s one of the port cities close to Korea.” he didn’t need confirmation, the glint in Miyoshi’s eyes confirmed he was right. “So people are using our colony to smuggle things to or from us. And it has to be something important, for this entire massacre to work out through multiple cities. And they cannot simply relocate the whole smuggling operation to another place.”

Miyoshi’s lips twitched. “Now, now, you were doing so well. ‘Using our colony’? That means you think people from outside Korea are involved.”

“Well-”

“Don’t you think at least some Koreans have qualms with Japan?”

Sakuma had to steel himself to avoid fidgeting in worry.

“I have heard...stories.” Stories of a harsh ruling of the colony, of forced drafting into wars and...more.

“I’m not surprised they’re only stories to you, you don’t seem the type to take such things in stride easily. Whatever you heard is most likely true. Japan’s rule of Korea hasn’t been a kind one. Oppressive would be a good word for it. And the war has only made it more heavy-handed. Discontentment has risen.”

“...I see.”

“Do you?”

Sakuma blinked, unsure of what to say. “What do you mean?” he asked.

Miyoshi looked at him intently from under half lidded eyes and for a moment Sakuma felt like Miyoshi was going to do something, and it made his shiver.

But then the intensity was gone, and all Miyoshi said was, “We’ve arrived.”

Sakuma glanced out the window; they were indeed pulling up at the station.

“Should I do anything?”

“There’s a task I want you to do before the day ends.”

“Which is?”

“For this operation to go more smoothly, Mio can’t always be the one to initiate things. We need to get you to practice having the initiative more, so before the day ends I want you to, at your discretion, kiss me without needing a command for it.”

Sakuma sighed. He was emotionally drained and could see why it was necessary and didn’t want to be petulant by complaining about it, so he let it go.

“I’ll...see to it. But anything I should do now?”

“Don’t look for Hatano. You won’t be able to find him, and it’ll look suspicious for you to be searching for someone.”

“Will he be meeting with us?”

“With me, after he takes care of Daiki.”

Sakuma frowned. “How will Hatano know about that before you meet with him?”

“I’ve left messages of what he should do at pre agreed places on this train. Now, it seems we have stopped, shall we go?”

The rest proved uneventful. Sakuma saw no sign of Hatano, Daiki or anyone suspicious as he left the train.

A couple did, however, stop him at the station to speak to him.

“Sir, you were the one that put that disrespectful man in his place, were you not?” The man asked.

Sakuma looked at the two; a man and woman in their late years wearing higher end clothing. Trying to avoid glancing at Miyoshi -or Mio- Sakuma tried to think of a careful response.

“Do you mean that ridiculous business with the staff member during the train?”

“Yes, that’s right. We were in the compartment across from you and we came out to see what the fuss was about.”

Sakuma mentally berated himself; he’d noticed there were people in the corridor taking his side against Daiki, but he hadn’t paid attention to what they’d looked like. The couple could have been there, or it could be a farce…

“Ah yes, it was unbelievable, to have my companion and I subjected to that,” Sakuma said, using the sentence to have an excuse to glance Miyoshi for any clues as to how this should go forth.

Mio just shrugged good naturedly. “I don't think it was that much of a problem. Then again, I didn’t stay to watch. Sakuma, I think I’ll go on ahead; I want to look around and stretch my legs before the next train.”

 _You’re leaving me alone with these two?_ Sakuma wondered if that meant the couple really was just making innocuous conversation. Then again, Miyoshi had also left him alone to deal with Daiki, although he’d been given instructions before that.

Mio bowed to the couple more shallowly than Sakuma thought respectful for people their age and left.

“I apologize for his manners,” Sakuma said instinctively, before realizing that perhaps he shouldn’t open a topic of conversation that involved Mio, even if the couple really had nothing to do with the criminals.

“Oh, it’s alright. Youngsters these days aren’t as respectful as they should be,” the woman said. “You seem like a proper young lad, but I suppose that’s thanks to your Army discipline. It’s good that the military teaches youngsters the correct way of things. Your companion isn’t military, is he?”

“He isn’t,” Sakuma assured, before quickly turning to another matter before the couple could think of inquiring for more details on Mio. “I hope that man treated you both better than he did us.”

“Oh, not at all! Well, he barely looked at our things but he was so rude! He-”

*

Miyoshi left Sakuma to fend for himself with the couple. They had been in the compartment next to theirs and from what Miyoshi had gathered, they were simply looking to strike a conversation and nothing else.

Thus, it was a good opportunity to let Sakuma test his disguise. Not that Miyoshi needed to get away for that, but he had other things to do.

He hadn’t noticed anyone watching him, which meant he could try to meet with Hatano.

He walked around as if simply observing the station but careful edged towards a free bench, almost hidden behind a wall.

He sat down opposite a man whose face was hidden reading a newspaper and took out a cigarette.

“Daiki was quite annoying,” Hatano said quietly, without putting down the newspaper. This way, even someone watching wouldn’t be able to see if he had spoken, much less read his lips.

“Hm?” Miyoshi noised a question as he affected a far off look, smoking leisurely.

“Removing him safely was a hassle. He broke down crying and spilling everything at such a volume I feared we would be overheard. You should have warned me.”

Miyoshi made an amused noise. He’d thought that might occur, and had purposely not mentioned the possibility to give Hatano some trouble.

“Maybe you didn’t because your attention was elsewhere,” Hatano continued, “is the Lieutenant giving you a headache yet?”

“He’s acting as expected.” Miyoshi’s lips barely moved as he replied. “A hassle, but nothing I can’t take care of.”

“Nothing interesting to report?”

It was Miyoshi’s chance to reveal what he’d found out about Sakuma.

However…

“None, I’m afraid. This will simply continue as I had surmised. Is your own part currently as boring as mine?”

He wouldn’t reveal Sakuma’s apparent trauma to the rest.

It had nothing to do with sentiment. At least no sentiment other than ego and curiosity.

If he were to reveal that Sakuma had issues that had slipped their notice before now, the others would begin a thorough investigation of Sakuma’s past and quickly uncover it.

With Miyoshi away in Matsue, that would mean all of D-Agency would know Sakuma’s secret before him. That wouldn’t do; Miyoshi would rather be the first to it. Thus, it was best to leave that information until the current mission was over.

“I don’t have someone to toy with,” Hatano groused petulantly. “This situation is _wasted_ on you.”

Miyoshi found that he agreed, but not for the reasons he might once have.

“Perhaps,” he said levelly, “but it’s not as if the Lieutenant made the wisest choice either. Even if I don’t play the games some of you would, I will also not be lenient with him like others would have.”

Miyoshi said the words carefully. He _was_ being more lenient than usual, but the others didn’t have to know that.

“And now you have Daiki,” he added.

“He’s too much of a bother to be worth anything to me. Maybe I’ll let Jitsui handle him.”

They sat in silence for a minute before Hatano said he had nothing else to report and left without another backward glance.

Miyoshi waited until his cigarette was done before going back to find Sakuma.

*

Sakuma had finally gotten rid of the talkative couple as politely as possible, and was starting to get anxious about Miyoshi’s disappearance, when someone lightly touched him on the arm to have his attention.

“I’m sorry, I got lost,” was Mio’s explanation.

Sakuma decided that it wouldn’t be out of character to scowl, which he did, though he also said, “Don’t do that, I was starting to get worried something had happened to you.”

Mio beamed, and began a vapid recounting of what he’d seen. Sakuma tried his hardest to seem interested, but found it hard to enjoy the situation.

Their next and final train finally arrived, and Sakuma hastily got on, hoping their seating arrangements would be better than before.

They were. The train had no first class compartment. That meant Sakuma and Miyoshi would have to sit together with other people, with less comfort and no privacy.

Sakuma had hoped for that; Miyoshi wouldn’t demand another test if they were in full view of the other passengers, and he certainly wouldn’t expect Sakuma to take any initiative in that situation.

Even better, Sakuma noticed as the doors began to close, the train wasn’t full; there were other people in it, but all seated far away enough that they wouldn’t hear what Sakuma and Miyoshi were saying so long as they spoke quietly. And they had already agreed that their target wouldn’t try anything else on this train...

After the last train ride, this stroke of good luck felt like sent by the gods.

Seated next to Sakuma and slightly leaning into him, Miyoshi noticed his evident relief when he noticed the empty seats around them and frowned.

“You can’t avoid acting in character,” he admonished, “You’ll have to do it constantly soon enough; hoping it will be delayed won’t do you any good.”

“I don’t mind acting. It’s not as if my character is any different from me,” Sakuma retorted before realizing how that would sound like and adding, “Personality wise, of course, which is the important part when interacting with most people. It’s not as if this character will be flaunting he’s in a homosexual relationship with y-Mio. More importantly, were the couple earlier genuine?”

Miyoshi chuckled. “They were. But let’s not change the subject: if you claim to not mind acting in situations you’re not required to show your attachment to Mio...are you having an issue with dealing with Mio himself?” Sakuma stiffened at how easily Miyoshi had read him, which only made Miyoshi laugh some more. “You dislike him, that’s been clear enough.”

 _I dislike his type_ , Sakuma thought, but tried giving a response that wouldn’t raise any questions.

“I understand you’re just acting, but I can’t easily accept that I’m supposed to be in a relationship with a man.”

“So the only issue you have with Mio is his sexuality?”

Sakuma looked at Miyoshi’s intense gaze and did the amateur mistake of glancing away as he said, “Yes.”

Unsurprisingly, Miyoshi didn’t believe such an obvious lie. He leaned closer to Sakuma and had a hand reach out to grab his arm. Anyone watching would likely think the gesture intimate, but Miyoshi’s hand was squeezing him dangerously tight.

“Lieutenant, if you’re going to lie to me, at least _try_ to make it the least bit believable.”

 _You’ve fallen for all my other lies so far_ , Sakuma thought savagely before trying to find a better excuse to give him.

“Fine. As if it wasn’t bad enough that your character has those tastes, he’s annoying.”

“In what sense?”

“In _every_ sense.”

Miyoshi simply gave him a look and Sakuma sighed and tried to elaborate.

“He’s too...stupid. Not having the decency to completely hide what he is, his unintelligent conversations, and the fact that he’s tricking his supposed lover. There’s nothing to like about his character.”

“So you prefer people with whom you can have intelligent conversations with?”

 _Why is he latching onto to that detail?_ “I suppose. Don't most people?’

“I’m not most people. But from my observations, many don’t care about intelligence so long as they have an affinity of opinion and tastes.”

“I see.”

“You must prefer Miyoshi to Mio.”

 _What is this about?_ “Don’t speak about yourself in the third person.” It felt like he was implying neither Mio nor Miyoshi were him. “And you have entirely other problems as well; I wouldn’t say that I prefer you at all.”

“You were under the incorrect assumption I was trying to murder you for petty grievances. Perhaps you’ll like me more from now on.”

Sakuma blinked. He hadn't really had time to think about that. At first, Miyoshi was nothing more than one of eight unpatriotic monsters. And then he was his would be murderer.

Now that Sakuma knew Miyoshi wasn’t as terrible as he’d surmised, what did he think of the man?

It wasn’t a train of thought he wanted to follow through. He had an idea of what the answer would be, and it wouldn’t be a good one for him.

 _Dangerous._ Above all Miyoshi was first and foremost dangerous, even if not to the extent of murder. He couldn’t afford to forget that.

“I don't know,” Sakuma finally said, “Like I said, you have other issues.” And because he both wanted to change the subject as well as know, he added, “I doubt you like me at all, too.”

He had expected Miyoshi to agree with it immediately. Instead Miyoshi said nothing for a moment, but surprisingly stopped leaning towards Sakuma, moving away and reclining in his seat.

“That word isn’t simple,” he said. “One can use it to indicate strong feelings of affection or simple the lack of distaste for someone. You can say you like someone for no other reason than that they amuse you, or they’re pleasant to look at, or useful. And yet, even if we can use it with such shallow meanings, there’s still significance when it’s uttered by someone who rarely uses it.

“In which case, rather than say if I like or am indifferent to you, I’ll simply say that I currently don’t dislike you. If I did, you wouldn’t have gone beyond the first train.”

 _All of that spiel just so you could avoid replying? It’s not as if the answer isn’t obviously indifference, so why not state it clearly already. Then again, considering what he is, leaving it unsaid is more his nature._ But for Sakuma, who was used to being forthright and open, Miyoshi’s lack of a direct reply annoyed him. More so because he felt he wanted to have the answer confirmed.

He pushed down his annoyance. “...Because you would have called of my participation on this mission when I hesitated to understand D-Agency’s motto against murder, or because you would have found a way to jeopardize my standing during it?”

“It could have gone either way, depending on the intensity of my dislike.”

Sakuma sighed again. “You’re too dangerous for me to feel anything but fear.”

He had thought Miyoshi wouldn’t feel slighted by being called dangerous. He was right, and Miyoshi simply smiled thinly.

“I certainly am. But that’s no reason for you to not feel anything but fear unless you believe you’re a target of mine.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Of course it does. Anyone can be a threat. Anyone can betray and hurt you. Stabbing someone, for example, requires little skill. By your logic you should abscond all human relationships since anyone could threaten you.”

“It’s not the same,” Sakuma insisted, “there’s also the fact that it’s easier to get on your bad side.”

“Whenever I get a glimpse of the Miyoshi you see in your mind, I’m amused. An easily riled murderer...I really must know why you picked such a person to be your companion in this mission.”

“I won't say why. And…”

“And?”

Sakuma had been about to say Miyoshi was easily upset. However, he couldn’t say that with certainty.

_Let’s see…_

Tricking him by inviting him to a game Sakuma hadn’t known he was playing hadn’t been a result of Miyoshi being upset, nor had it been dangerous so Sakuma couldn’t use it as an excuse to fear Miyoshi.

The now clarified Gordon incident had also been incited by Sakuma’s behavior as well as interest in seeing him gone or put in his place for D-Agency’s sake.

In that light…

“Perhaps you aren’t as easily disturbed as I’d supposed,” he reluctantly admitted. “But you’d still trick me if it amused you.”

“Then maybe you should simply make yourself interesting enough that I don’t need to resort to making a fool out of you to enjoy your presence.”

“I don’t know how to do that. And even if I did, I don’t plan on forcing myself to curry your favor.”

_And you have an ego. I wonder how offended you’ll feel to know I’ve tricked you for so long? Or how amusing you’ll find using my sexuality against me? I can’t allow myself to see you as anything more than a threat._

“I won’t tell you how to do it, either. Not that it matters if you do it or not. Or if you come to like me or not. It would make things easier, of course, for you to obey me.”

With that, Miyoshi opened a book and began ignoring him.

Sakuma glanced at the cover; it was a romance. Sakuma couldn’t imagine Miyoshi liking such things, which meant the man was willing to go so far as to read books Mio would for leisure.

He had to respect the insane lengths the D-Agency men would go for their disguises.

And on the subject of respect…

He hadn’t had time to think of what had gone on earlier, with Miyoshi forcing him to see the truth about the supposed suicide.

On one hand, Miyoshi could have simply outright stated the truth, but on the other, by refusing to coddle Sakuma while insisting he had it in him to figure it out, Miyoshi had shown more trust in Sakuma’s intellect than he thought possible. And more patience, too.

He didn’t think that such a small thing meant Miyoshi deserved his apologies or his gratitude, yet he did feel somewhat guilty about his treatment of him now. He was being overly prickly with Miyoshi and not because of something Miyoshi had concretely done to deserve it, but because of what Sakuma knew he would do if he found out his secret.

And so, maybe Miyoshi deserved, at the very least, less acerbic responses from Sakuma, for now.

In fact, it might also be more strategic if he did so. The less winded he seemed about it, the less Miyoshi would think he was hiding something.

Not that Sakuma, in regards to his feelings towards Miyoshi, had much to hide at all; just some mild attraction to his features.

“Even if I can’t come to see you as a friend,” he gritted out, “I admit that I...admire your expertise, and I don’t begrudge your presence too much,” _I might not at all if I didn’t have something to keep away from you_. “But ultimately between clashing personalities and views it’s hard to find common ground with you that isn’t the desire to fulfill the mission.”

“Interesting,” Miyoshi said, though he looked completely indifferent to it. “And since we’re on the subject; for a man that claims to enjoy intelligent conversation you’ve certainly avoided any conversation with the rest of us.”

“You talk as if it’s a given conversations with you all would be intelligent.”

“Do you deny they would be?”

“It’s different. I end conversations with you feeling like I’ve humiliated myself.”

“That’s your own conclusion of your skills. Don’t blame me for your own self-assessment.”

“Are you saying you don’t think I’ve humiliated myself?”

“You should learn to read between the lines. I wouldn’t allow you to speak to me so much if I had to suffer through idiocy with every line from you. Which isn’t to say there isn’t room for a lot of improvement.”

“Coming from you, I’ll consider that a compliment,” Sakuma said gruffly.

“There’s no reason why you shouldn’t,” Miyoshi replied offhandedly, and Sakuma wished hearing that didn’t please him.

Miyoshi closed the book he had barely read a line of and replaced it with a deck of cards. “Let’s play something,” he said.

Sakuma wondered why Miyoshi had taken the book out in the first place if he was planning to play a card game. Unless Miyoshi hadn’t intended to do it until Sakuma relented and admitted he didn’t despise Miyoshi so much, which would mean Sakuma had succeeded in...something, though he was unsure of what.

“What game? Poker?” he settled for asking.

“Any game. The purpose of this will be to educate you.”

“On?”

“I’ll let you choose which to learn today: hand signals or sleight of hand.”

Sakuma’s lips twitched. “Hand signals. But won’t that curtail some of your fun when I no longer lose to you?”

“You think that is enough to surpass me? You _are_ underestimating me.” Thankfully he seemed amused. “Now, let’s see how many you’re able to memorize now.”

*

*

Sakuma didn’t need Miyoshi’s guidance to find the man they were supposed to meet. Of the few people waiting in Matsue’s station, only one was wearing more formal attire, appropriate to be receiving their new superior. He was young, Sakuma’s age or maybe even slightly younger, and his suit wasn’t made to fit.

The man’s eyes fell on Sakuma but, upon noticing he was accompanied, he turned his gaze away.

“Sir, are you by any chance Mr. Hiiro?” Sakuma asked when he was near enough.

The man jolted and looked him up and down.

“Ah...could you be Lieutenant Sakuma?” he asked uncertain and, when Sakuma nodded, quickly bowed low. “I beg your pardon sir! I wasn’t told...I wasn’t aware that you’d be accompanied.”

“It’s not your fault, it was a last minute decision,” Sakuma said quickly. “This is Mio, he’s my-”

He froze. Somehow, it had slipped their minds to discuss this vital detail.

 _No,_ he thought, turning to Miyoshi and seeing only a perfect mask of attentive listening, _he purposely didn’t tell me._

And why was becoming clear enough, as each second in which he didn’t answer stretched uncomfortably. Miyoshi had _wanted_ him to flounder conspicuously, to make it blatantly suspicious.

_Not this time._

“He’s my cousin,” Sakuma said with forced cheeriness, “He wanted a change of pace and asked to stay with me a while to see some new sights.”

The lies fell easily from his tongue. How many times had he said something like this when neighbors caught him and a civilian coming and going from his apartment?

Hiiro nodded, taking in the backstory easily, before offering to help carry some of the luggage to his car.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said, taking a typed note from inside his coat. “A message came from the headquarters in Kyoto earlier: they found something belonging to the late Captain that you might want to take a look at.”

Mio groaned. “We’re going to Kyoto? But we barely arrived here, can’t that wait?”

 _Is he saying I should delay it?_ “You don’t have to go with me,” Sakuma replied, “But either way, it might be best to take a look at things here before going there, since I might have questions I’d like them to answer.”

Hiiro looked about to say something, but Mio interrupted him.

“So, what do you recommend I see first?”

“Ah, I doubt there’s much to interest someone who came from Tokyo.”

“Nonsense! I dislike the air of it, I think I can appreciate a quieter, less crowded city more.”

“Oh, well, personally I like fishing…”

“Fishing? That sounds marvelous! Do you do it often?”

Sakuma glanced at Mio; he sounded honestly interested.

_I suppose a prostitute would have to feign interest in anything a client says._

They reached Hiiro’s car, which turned out to be an old and worn-out Takuri. Sakuma sat himself on the rear seat and had a moment of surprise when Mio sat himself in the front, asking Hiiro personal questions.

_If he’s my lover, shouldn’t he travel by my side?_

Miyoshi had told him Mio wasn’t too infatuated with Sakuma, but it was the first time Sakuma saw that being played out.

Hiiro had quickly forgotten about Sakuma, focused on the man that seemed genuinely interested in his stories.

Watching Miyoshi act, Sakuma saw no crack in the charade that revealed if Miyoshi was angry with him for the lie he had made up.

Sakuma didn’t care if he was. It was Miyoshi’s own fault for wanting to leave him in such a situation without discussing it with him first. While he understood the need to make things suspicious for their targets, there was the issue of making things too blatant for innocent people.

Miyoshi might have little to nothing to lose if word spread about them through normal circles, but Sakuma’s life would be ruined.

He tried to listen in to the conversation going on in front of him, in case something relevant or useful was said, but all Hiiro talked about was himself, with the occasional pause to point out a well-known restaurant or such.

The city itself seemed decent enough, but nothing new to Sakuma, who had travelled with the Army to similar places. Sightseeing seemed the usual: a castle, shrines, a lake...

No wonder D-Agency had quickly assessed its importance being tied to its shore.

Finally, he picked up Hiiro mentioning something useful.

“-And then there are the Oki Islands, of course. I think that’ll be a primary source of sightseeing after you’re done looking at the city.”

“Are we able to visit those easily?” Sakuma asked, finally interested.

“There are daily ferries to the populated islands, which are where the interesting stuff is, like the Museum-”

Sakuma had to refrain from not groaning when the man began a review of every attraction possible. Mio nodded avidly to whatever he said.

“-And then there’s the cave. But I think it’s best if ask someone else for more details.”

 _Finally._ “You said there were ferries to the populated islands, so are some of them unpopulated?” Sakuma asked.

“Uh, I don’t know the exact number but I think there are around 15 islands in total, and only four are inhabited permanently.”

Sakuma tried to hide his excitement. _So there’s plenty of space to store any form of illegal shipments between here and Korea without being found out._

Mio chuckled. “Sakuma has a thing for exploring, and his duties so far in the Army haven’t soothed that, so maybe traipsing around the wild might be just what he hoped for.”

The explanation felt too much like Miyoshi was coming up with an excuse, had he gone too far with his questions?

“Oh, well…” Hiiro sighed. “Pity about the timing, then.”

“Hm, why is that?”

“Ah, Captain Noriaki did have a private motorboat. A runabout. But now...”

“What happened? And when-”

“Sakuma I know you’re excited, but this is boring conversation,” Mio whined, twisting around to face Sakuma, and pushed a lock of hair behind his left ear using two fingers.

It was lucky that Hiiro was focusing on the road, because Sakuma visibly winced at that.

That gesture had been one of the few Miyoshi had just taught him on the train. It meant ‘ _fold_ ’, but Sakuma could understand how it was being applied.

Sakuma was going too far, to the point of Miyoshi telling him to stop, and even resorting to poker signals for it.

Maybe he should shut his mouth and let Miyoshi deal with everything, but Sakuma wanted to at least show he could salvage the situation. However, he didn’t want to outright disobey Miyoshi for something he wasn’t absolutely certain of, so how did he ask Miyoshi to give him one last chance?

Miyoshi was still half turned to him -perhaps to keenly ensure Sakuma wouldn’t be able to say anything else- so Sakuma tried giving a gesture back.

_Call._

He wasn’t sure if that was the right gesture to use to ask to continue. He doubted the spies even had a gesture for that. And yet, judging by the sudden raised eyebrow that was clearly not in Mio’s character, it seemed Miyoshi had understood the intent.

He then turned towards Hiiro again.

“I hope you didn’t mind his badgering,” he said apologetically. His hand, however, repeated Sakuma’s gesture.

The fact that he wasn’t telling him to fold again felt like permission.

“I’m not badgering him,” Sakuma explained, “I’m just wondering the extent of the damage and how long it’s been that way to see if it’s something we can fix or not. Even if we don’t use the boat, we can still try and get it back together to sell to someone who might use it more. Or I could donate to our Army facility here.”

Was Sakuma imagining it, or had Mio’s smile just turned marginally wider?

“That’s good thinking, sir,” Hiiro was saying, oblivious to the silent conversation that had gone on in a matter of seconds, “but I’m afraid we don’t even have his boat. The Captain wasn’t very focused in the days before his trip to Kyoto. I-I’m sure it had to do with his job and not his...uh...lover though! A-Anyway, the day after the tragedy someone noticed his boat wasn’t in the dock where he usually left it and, after examining it, it seems he forgot to tie it properly and the boat drifted away. We haven’t found it yet.”

 _That is the most blatantly suspicious story I’ve heard so far._ “Fine, we'll forget our plans to use it or sell it then.”

“I’m sure it’ll be easy to rent a boat,” Hiiro assured, before adding, “Ah, we’re almost there.”

They were in a barely populated neighborhood now, with sparse houses here and there. Considering the situation, Sakuma wasn’t too happy to be away from crowds.

“It’s a twenty minute walk from here to our headquarters. If you need a ride-”

“I can walk.”

“What about me?” Mio interjected. “Is there anything to do nearby?”

“If you like nature, there’s plenty. But I’m afraid when it comes to entertainment the nearest neighborhood is around twenty minutes.”

Mio groaned. “I’ve been travelling all day, I don’t have the energy to walk that much tonight. Is there at least somewhere to eat nearby?”

“There’s a well-known bento shop that should still be open at this time of night. The late Captain used to like it. At least he did, before.”

“Before?”

“I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but he was quite paranoid at times. He’d gotten worse near the end. I suppose considering his activities…”

Sakuma cleared his throat loudly. He didn’t like how the man’s former underling was besmirching his name for the sake of gossip and felt that maybe it would be in character for him to shut the man up.

“Oh, come on, you should learn something about the man whose shoes you’re filling!” Mio said. Sakuma winced again, thinking he’d gone about it the wrong way once more, but this time Miyoshi did another sign with his hand.

 _Good hand_. Sakuma blinked. Was Miyoshi trying to say he hadn’t acted incorrectly?

They needed to get rid of Hiiro soon so he could talk to him.

“No, no, he’s right, it’s not my place to say such things,” the man was assuring Mio and then, to Sakuma’s added annoyance, took one of his hands away from the steering wheel to search his pockets. “Which reminds me, I need to give you this.”

 _Can I fire this man?_ Sakuma was wondering, feeling the heavy car begin to slip sideways with the driver’s lack of attention. Hiiro grasped something and, before he could turn away from the road ahead to hand it to Sakuma, Sakuma reached out and took it.

“I apologize in advance,” Hiiro said meekly.

Confused, Sakuma glanced at the item. It was a bunch of new looking western keys.

“...What is this?”

“The...ah...keys to the house. Front door and interior.”

“What? I saw the houseplant, it was completely japanese.”

“Well...it was, initially. I mentioned the Captain was paranoid, right? He, uh, decided he’d feel safer if he could lock every room in the house so he had it remodeled, removing the shoji sliding doors since those wouldn’t lock and could be broken easily, and had western doors put in. At least, he tried to. He didn’t have time to do every room before he…you know, but I was told the second floor at least is like that now.”

Sakuma stared at the keys. Had the deceased been that mentally unstable?

Or was it because he had found something to warrant that level of paranoia?

“For all the good it did him,” Hiiro said, before flinching at his own words.

Sakuma would have scolded him, but at that moment they turned a corner and the house came to view.

There...was nothing strange about the exterior, at least. It stood, normal and nondescript, just beyond a small walled garden.

“Oh, I’ll go ahead to look at those western walls,” Mio said excitedly before grabbing the keys from Sakuma and rushing ahead.

 _One less annoyance_ , Sakuma thought as he turned to apologize to Hiiro. “It seems the excitement overtook his manners.”

“Ah, it happens. Let me help you with the luggage…”

Sakuma allowed it, and Hiiro took them up until the external balcony.

“I think this is it,” he said, bowing, “I’m sorry if I wasn’t a very good introduction to the city…”

Sakuma felt almost guilty at that. It wasn’t the man’s job to be a tour guide, nor was he to blame for Sakuma’s tension…

...Or was he? Could he be involved with their target? After all, as Noriaki’s secretary he would have been privy to some privileged information…

Sakuma mentally shied away from the suspicion, and quickly finished bidding Hiiro farewell before finally entering the house.

The first floor at least looked as normal as expected.

“Lieutenant.”

He glanced at the direction of the voice and saw Miyoshi descending the stairs. Judging by the crisp way he’d called out, he was no longer acting.

“All of Tazaki’s safeguards against intruders were still in place,” Miyoshi stated, “This househasn’t been breached since he was last here, which means we won’t have to act.”

Sakuma let out a relieved sigh, feeling his shoulders sagging.

“Now,” Miyoshi continued, and his tone was so sharp Sakuma had the urge to stand to attention. “I think you should sit down, Lieutenant, since we have much to talk about.”

“I know,” Sakuma said tiredly, moving towards the dining table.

“Do you? Then why don’t you tell me what this will be about then.”

“I’m assuming you’re about to scold me.” Sakuma sat down properly on a cushion while Miyoshi sat at the opposite side if the table. He didn’t slouch, but sat with an impeccable posture, something that only added to Sakuma’s worry.

“For?” Miyoshi asked, taking out a cigarette and offering another to Sakuma, who accepted it gladly.

“For telling Hiiro you were my cousin, and then for my questioning.”

“Let’s start with the latter. Your acting was nonexistent. You do _not_ question people with such enthusiasm on anything unless you have set it up to be in character for your charade.”

“But the information was relevant-”

“It’s pointless to gain information if it’s at the cost of your disguise. That will only ensure your targets know you are after them.”

The way Miyoshi was looking at him, as if he was teaching an unruly child the basics, only made Sakuma want to snap, and he had to make an effort to keep his voice steady, taking a long drag from his cigarette to help him keep calm. “We won’t be together for most of the day,” something Sakuma was both glad and anxious about, “what should I do if I hear something that might be relevant?”

“If it would be out of your character to seek more, do not pursue it and report it to me.”

Sakuma clenched his free hand. “Did I not manage to fix it afterwards?”

Miyoshi raised one eyebrow. “Are you saying you truly believe that backtracking only after I told you to stop is reason enough to presume you won’t make another mistake like that in the future?”

At that, Sakuma deflated. “...No,” he admitted begrudgingly, before scratching at his hair in a nervous gesture. “I completely failed and we’ve barely arrived.”

Miyoshi chuckled and seemed to relax a little. “I wouldn’t say you were a complete failure yet,” he said with a small smile tugging at his lips. “If you had been, I wouldn’t have just told you to use your discretion to decide if you can make inquires or not. I would have ordered you to do nothing no matter what.”

He paused to take a long drag and exhale before continuing.

“While that was quite thoughtless of you, you did well in other parts. Such as understanding what I meant with the poker signal, and using it for your own. Then asking permission before you risked speaking anymore, and afterwards making a decent explanation for your interest.”

_And you must have assumed I’d be able to, or else you wouldn’t have allowed me to try._

“So you’re not a lost cause so far. However, you cannot afford to make such crass mistakes in the future, so pay attention constantly to the character you must present to everyone. For example, telling Hiiro to stop gossiping about the deceased was the correct move for your character, even if the information interested us.”

The words were barely any praise at all, yet Sakuma felt warm at hearing them. He wasn’t too surprised by his feelings, however; being in the military, he had had to work under much harsher people.

Yes, if Miyoshi’s acknowledgement meant anything at all to him, it was only because he recognized Miyoshi wasn’t the type to say such things lightly, and he was used to worse.

That said, it was time to go back to reality.

“I won’t make such a mistake again,” Sakuma promised, “And now, I suppose you also want to talk about saying you were my cousin…?”

“Ah, that.” Miyoshi was smiling slightly, amused at something. “Tell me why you said it. Surely you didn’t think I’d have kept quiet?”

“You purposely didn’t tell me what our cover would be.”

“I don’t recall you asking.”

Sakuma winced. True, he had never thought to ask.

“I just-”

“Don’t bother saying you trusted me.” Miyoshi leaned forward. “We both know you don’t.”

“I trust you to see this mission to its completion.”

“If so, again, why take it upon yourself to decide on our disguise?”

“Because you left me to flounder conspicuously. I understand that we are supposed to be seen as lovers by our targets, but there’s a limit to how obvious we can be in front of unrelated parties, else there’ll be rumors that I am a homosexual and my life will be ruined, both in the Army and outside.”

“If your standing in the Army is jeopardized, D-Agency loses an useful insider, so naturally we will avoid that.”

“So why make it obvious?”

“It wasn’t.”

Sakuma blinked. “That’s ridiculous, of course it was.”

“It wasn’t,” Miyoshi repeated, looking vaguely annoyed now. “A moment’s hesitation wouldn’t be remembered by anyone unless they were searching for hints to begin with.”

“With the current deaths and rise in the alleged perverts in the military, surely people will start questioning how many of such people are hidden and will begin looking for signs.”

Miyoshi paused before exhaling some smoke. “That point has merit, at least. However, such will not start here soon, if at all. There’s little military presence here, and there will be no other deaths. If anything, the citizens will begin having the belief that modern and western culture loosen people’s morals and turn them depraved. They’ll want to hide behind the mentality that this city is ‘safe’ from such things. And even if you are a stranger to these parts, because this city hasn’t had such deaths yet, they’ll take quite some time before becoming suspicious of you, and that will only be after the situation and public outlook has deteriorated in larger cities.

“The witch hunt mentality you are thinking of will start soon in the cities more targeted by this group. Of course, since people don’t want to think that the defenders of their country are such people, they’ll resist believing it at first. That, and the Army trying to cover up some of the deaths should delay the mentality you fear.

“So no, some hesitation at this point will only be noticed by the ones we want. And…”

Although Miyoshi’s expression remained impassive, he was clearly making his mind on whether to say something or not.

“...I didn’t originally plan to have that occur,” he finally admitted, “Originally Mio would have simply replied before you could, since it made more sense for him to have such excuses at hand.”

“Then why did you change it?” Sakuma asked, before it dawned on him. “Is Hiiro our target?”

“He might be part of the group, or he might not. It wasn’t him that made me change plans. There was a woman listening in to our conversation.”

“What? I didn’t notice it.”

“I’m not surprised. We’ll need to teach you to be more aware of your surroundings.”

“I didn’t mean that I didn’t see a woman. I simply didn’t notice any spying on us.”

“Which still means you require training. There was one. She was turned away from us, pretending to be looking for another passenger, but her body language gave her away. Don’t bother asking what she looked like, she had her back to us and hid her head using a parasol.”

“Oh.” Sakuma thought he’d noticed such a figure, but knew it meant nothing that he had, since he hadn’t even considered that she might be observing them.

Feeling slightly foolish now that he understood the situation, Sakuma gritted his teeth but nonetheless bowed as low as he could without hitting the table.

“I apologize for my mistakes.”

Looking down at the wooden surface, he heard Miyoshi snort.

“You’ll apologize for this but not for thinking I was a potential murderer?”

“I had good reasons to assume that, I admit I had less for the mistakes of today.”

Miyoshi said nothing in return, so Sakuma stood upright again and continued. “In the end, was saying that you were my cousin good enough?”

As soon as he said it, Sakuma had the impression that Miyoshi’s gaze had turned sharper, but the look was so fleeting he thought he might have imagined it.

“Yes. It’s a common excuse, and the one I was going to use as well.”

Relieved he hadn’t done anything too amiss, Sakuma felt they could now move on to what he truly wanted.

“If that’s settled, I have some questions.”

“And I have things to tell and teach you,” Miyoshi retorted. “The message from Kyoto, how you will act tomorrow and it seems we’ll need to adapt poker sings to use between us.”

“D-Agency doesn’t have signals specific to that?”

“No,” Miyoshi looked as if he laughing internally. “We don’t need to give each other orders when acting.”

Sakuma sighed. He had expected that.

“Fair enough. What is it about Kyoto? You wanted me to delay going there?”

“We’ll settle all of that later, after you come back with our dinner.”

“When... _I_ come back with our dinner?”

“Considering your situation, you have a lot of stamina. A day travelling is nothing to you. Mio, on the other hand, is hardly used to the strain.”

“...A whore isn’t used to exercise?”

Miyoshi blinked twice then chuckled in his normal, muffled way. “Not for hours. And it’s a different sort of fatigue. So he’ll stay, and you’ll do him the kindness of bringing him a bento for dinner. You should get going before the shop closes.”

It felt like a weak reason compared to Miyoshi’s usual ones. But Sakuma wasn’t opposed to some time away from him after the day he’d had, so didn’t argue further.

He put out the cigarette he’d barely smoked and stood up, walking outside again, then sat on the terrace to put on the shoes he’d haphazardly taken off so he could get in quickly.

“Lieutenant,” Miyoshi said quietly from behind him. Sakuma nearly jumped since he hadn’t noticed him approaching, and turned around to see him in the doorway. “Since you are about to have some interaction, albeit brief, to buy our dinner, this may need to be said: it’s good for a spy to be suspicious, but you, for reasons you refuse to explain, are bordering on paranoia, and that will be detrimental. If you can’t exorcise your demons, at least ensure that they are under control enough to not threaten the operation.”

 _It’s complicated when this is the one situation that I have issue with._ Sakuma thought, turning to look back at his shoes so Miyoshi wouldn’t see his expression, and considered if he should just quietly acquiesce or if there was a way to defend himself.

Miyoshi, however, wasn’t done yet. Sakuma heard the low thump of knees hitting the wooden terrace and before he could turn around again, Miyoshi’s hand found his shoulder and his mouth Sakuma’s ear.

“But if you can get past that,” Miyoshi whispered, so close Sakuma could feel not just his breath, but his lips bumping into his ear lobe when his mouth moved. “I think there’s hope for you yet.”

Sakuma shivered, and wasn’t sure who he was angrier at in that moment; himself for reacting to so little, or Miyoshi for acting like that unnecessarily.

Miyoshi let him go and, without thinking, Sakuma turned around and grabbed him by the arm before he could stand up.

Miyoshi didn’t fight the hold, but raised one eyebrow in question.

 _Is there someone watching us?_ Sakuma wanted to ask. _Is that why you whispered in my ear?_ But if so, why was his countenance still clearly Miyoshi and not the character?

He wanted to ask that, but instead he moved forward, closing the distance between them, and kissed Miyoshi.

With the outside pitch black at night, and the terrace brightly illuminated by the light within the house, they would very visible for anyone looking, even from a distance.

The thought of being watched only added more adrenaline to his system, so Sakuma hastily ended the chaste kiss before he could do something truly stupid.

“And I believe that completes the task you set for me,” he whispered, letting go of Miyoshi’s arm. “Are we being watched?”

“...No.”

“Which question are you ans-”

He wasn’t able to finish the question, because Miyoshi placed his hands on each of Sakuma’s shoulders and surged forward, kissing him.

This time, Miyoshi took control, sucking at Sakuma’s bottom lip. And Sakuma, too stunned to do anything but follow instinct, found himself responding.

One of Miyoshi’s hands was pushing him backwards, and the other had wrapped around his lower back, holding Sakuma but changing their positions so that now Miyoshi was over him, nearly pushing him on his back.

The thought that Miyoshi might be trying to dominate even this should have angered him, but instead it was taking Sakuma’s every ounce of will not to lower his hands and grab his waist and pull him closer.

The subtle hint of teeth grazing at his now abused lips had him nearly groaning. Sakuma managed to turn it into a choked sound at the last moment, but ended up parting his lips.

Miyoshi’s tongue snaked inside and-

Just as quickly as he’d crashed into Sakuma, Miyoshi was pulling away.

“Now your task is complete,” Miyoshi said, sounding strangely serious despite what must have been his attempt to amuse himself at Sakuma’s cost.

The next second, the door had slammed shut.

Sakuma stared at it for a second more before letting out a string of curses under his breath and hastily getting up.

It was, after all, a good thing he’d chosen to kiss Miyoshi just before leaving; now he had all the way to and from the bento shop to cool himself down.

And despite his dislike of the Mio character, if that was how Miyoshi truly kissed, perhaps Mio was the safest option from every angle.

*

Miyoshi leaned against the door until he heard Sakuma walking away. Not that he’d thought of one moment that the Lieutenant would come back; he now surely wanted to get as far away from Miyoshi as he was allowed.

Without delaying any longer, Miyoshi set about storing away his belongings. That was the real reason he had wanted Sakuma to go on without him; there were one or two pieces of belongings that could not be found by an enemy, and he needed to hide them away without being seen.

It’s not that he distrusted Sakuma, at least no more so than he deemed necessary. However, he had already chosen to forgo the military for D-Agency; there was no guarantee he couldn't be persuaded to turn on them. But more importantly, without any training Sakuma was susceptible to fall into traps and loosen his tongue, be it through trickery or torture. And so, there was a limit to how much Miyoshi was willing to tell him.

When the last item was stored away under the tatami, Miyoshi opened a window and brought Tazaki’s pigeon inside.

 _Kyoto might prove troublesome_ , Miyoshi thought, writing a coded letter telling D-Agency to investigate what he needed. If his suspicions turned out to be correct…

He felt a stab of disgust and quickly brushed away the feeling. He was an expert, he shouldn't be disturbed, no matter what might be required of him.

Of course, if Sakuma managed to irritate him enough by then, he could always force the situation so that the only issue would be the man losing his sanity to trauma.

Miyoshi didn’t think it would come to that, however. Sakuma clearly had the potential to join them, if he could bypass his issues, and he wouldn’t want to let that potential go to waste.

Moreover, Sakuma was rapidly growing on him, a fact Miyoshi had to recognize given he was now thinking of him as ‘Sakuma’ more often than ‘the Lieutenant’. That and his growing fondness for sexually harassing him.

Miyoshi allowed himself a rare moment of sincerity by sighing out loud. He might have stayed idle in D-Agency too long and was had assimilated to the others; he was starting to be interested in Sakuma. Naturally the explanation for it was simple; the man refused to like him, and the challenge made him more desirable. The moment Sakuma stopped making a ruckus out of the smallest sexual contact, he’d become boring.

Until then, Miyoshi would have to be careful to not indulge himself beyond what Sakuma could handle with his idiotic mentality. The kiss in the terrace had almost gone too far, but Miyoshi had felt like allowing himself at least that after Sakuma had gone and kissed him where others might see.

That had been impressive, and surprising. It was as if what Sakuma had issue with fluctuated. He hadn’t fought Miyoshi’s kiss, either. And more curious still was…

_In the end, was saying that you were my cousin good enough?_

The way he’d worded that had been...different. Not “was it a good excuse” but “was it good enough”.

Miyoshi thought that, slowly, he was catching pieces of the larger puzzle that was Sakuma. So far, what he had didn’t fit together or form a picture, but he would get there soon.

He’d unravel the mystery that was Sakuma’s past and psych, and later resolve his reluctance towards intimacy.

And then Sakuma would go back to being dull in his eyes. Miyoshi didn’t see how any other outcome was possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize for the delay.
> 
> -Korea: was under japanese rule from 1910 to 1945
> 
> -Oki islands: they are real islands off the coast of Matsue and you can get there by ferry, but most aren't populated
> 
> -Takuri and runabout: [here are photos](https://sinningshipper.tumblr.com/post/151708218834/since-it-seems-i-will-manage-to-post-high-card) of the car and boat
> 
> -Thank you issyapi for helping me with the trains!


	9. Chapter 9

“Take care!” The girl said enthusiastically, seeing him off from the door and bowing respectfully.

Sakuma had a half a mind to linger in the bento shop for longer; the prospect of returning to Miyoshi was daunting. Nonetheless, even he could tell it would be weird if he let his cousin, or lover, be without dinner so he could chat more with the affable shop employee.

And so, reluctantly, Sakuma had to turn and go back to the house. At least he now knew there was one place he could relax in during the operation. But first, he’d have to survive the night.

That was a growing concern of his as he returned to his temporary home; what was Miyoshi going to do to him? In the one night they had spent at his place, Miyoshi had them sleeping next to each other and then the...touching. How far was Miyoshi planning to take things now?

_It wouldn’t be so bad if I could trust myself to endure and not reveal the truth._ No, more than simply not bad, in any other situation someone like Miyoshi being so insistent would be quite interesting to him.

Seeing the house in the distance, Sakuma began pushing his worries down, lest Miyoshi read them on his face immediately.

Going in, Miyoshi turned out to be lounging at the table doing…

Sakuma blinked as he approached.

“What is that?” he asked, looking at a game and pieces he didn’t recognize. It was a board of 8 by 8 marble squares alternating between black and white.

“It’s chess,” Miyoshi said, motioning for Sakuma to hand him his bento. “Depending on who you ask, shogi is derived from chess, or chess is derived from shogi.”

Sakuma stared at the pieces as he sat down opposite Miyoshi; they all seemed strange to him. The only ones he could understand were the ones which were carved as horses’ heads.

“Why is such a thing here?”

“You should study your predecessor’s background more,” Miyoshi admonished. He paused to look at what he’d been given for dinner, seemed satisfied and began eating. “He was a well travelled Captain,” he explained further in between bites. “No doubt he learned of this common game during trips to the west. And judging by the quality of this board, this might have been given to him as a gift.”

Sakuma looked at the board again. The pieces seemed foreign, but with Miyoshi having suggested it was similar to shogi, Sakuma was already starting to see similarities with the set up.

“If it’s like shogi, shouldn’t it be played with two people?”

“I was playing against myself.”

_Of course you were_. Sakuma peered at the board again. Once, he’d have turned his nose at anything foreign. Now that he was in D-Agency however…

“I enjoy shogi. Would I like this...chess too?”

Miyoshi smiled thinly. “Perhaps I’ll teach you later. But know that I only took this out on a whim, and neither you or Mio are supposed to know what this is. If you see a set in a situation where it’s even uncertain that we aren’t being watched, feign ignorance.”

“Understood.”

Miyoshi seemed satisfied by the reply. “Now,” he said, “it seems you found the bento shop pleasant enough, if it took you so long to return.”

Sakuma nearly choked on his chopstick. “I didn’t take long! I made sure to not delay since I was supposed to care about your lack of dinner!”

“So you would have stayed longer if you had the chance?”

Sakuma gritted his teeth at having been caught in Miyoshi’s trap and decided to not deny it. Why should he?

“That’s right. It was very pleasant. The girl taking care of the store-”

“Ah. Is she your type?”

“No,” Sakuma replied too quickly, and for once it wasn’t a simple slip up. As Miyoshi raised an eyebrow, he explained. “Certainly not. She’s too young, barely more than a child.”

“I see. Tell me her full name, any interesting features and then continue.”

“Umi Miata, she had her hair tied with a pink-”

“Accessories are useless. Those can be changed easily.”

“Well, she had high cheekb-”

Miyoshi cut him off again with a dismissive motion of his hand.

“If there’s nothing too distinctive, don’t bother. I will go there myself tomorrow anyway. More importantly, why are you so certain she’s uninvolved with our mission?”

“Why would anyone involve a child? Wouldn’t one just be a liability? And when I showed surprise that she could run the store on her own, she said she’d done so for years alongside her family. That's one alibi easily verified, so I don’t see how that could be a lie.”

Miyoshi said nothing, eating silently, and Sakuma had the impression he disapproved of his conclusion.

That worried him; if even a child was suspect, would he find peace nowhere for the duration of the mission?

“Do you think she’s a possible suspect?” he asked.

*

Miyoshi wanted to allow the disdain for that question to show plainly on his face, but resisted the urge.

_Of course_ the girl was a suspect. Everyone had to be a considered one. What differed was only the degree in suspicion; they had to treat everyone as a threat to avoid unconsciously becoming lax in their care.

Furthermore, the girl’s alleged age meant little. One could fake being younger than they were; Jitsui and Hatano were proof of that. And even if the young age was true, it’s not as if with skill and time one couldn’t train a child to become an useful tool.

Worse, the fact that she and her family had the store established for years only made her a more probable target, not the opposite.

If Miyoshi hadn’t surmised already that Sakuma had been born and raised in Tokyo, he would have done so now. In a smaller city such as this one, new people were more conspicuous.

If they were indeed dealing with a cross country illegal operation...the leader would have to be near the transaction point at all times. Too much could go awry, too much could be easily discovered, for such a thing to be trusted to run smoothly by itself or on the hands of subordinates. The leader would have to oversee one end of the operation and leave his most competent underlings at the other, as constant travel between Japan and Korea would be noticed.

Which meant the leader had to make himself inconspicuous in Matsue. That, in turn, meant two possibilities; that the leader had chosen Matsue then waited years carefully making himself one of locals before beginning his plan, or that he had steadfast connections to Matsue to begin with, and through that realized he could make use of the land for some profit.

If it were the former, such planning and patience might denote some personal involvement in all this more powerful than simply greed. And certainly; demoralizing the army through murder was too elaborate a scheme to simply be a diversion to whatever they were doing in Matsue...

_Ah, I’m getting ahead of myself_ , Miyoshi silently chided his own mind. All of that would have to be explained to Sakuma slow and carefully. Better yet; feed him bits and pieces of it and see how much the man could figure out for himself. Miyoshi found he enjoyed that far more than simply giving him the information outright.

But it wasn’t just for his amusement; Sakuma’s fears were, again, an issue. If Miyoshi now told him how dangerous this Umi Miata could potentially be, it would cause too much unrest in him. He hadn’t been trained yet to expect this and with the added distaste of his disguise fraying his nerves...Sakuma would break character if he didn’t find some respite.

Which...was interesting, in a way. Sakuma was now in a state similar to Noriaki’s, only to a smaller extent.

_This girl has allayed his suspicions, and she works in the closest shop to this house...I wonder, would Noriaki also have felt safe around her? Safe enough to say what he shouldn’t, or make a routine of going there that could easily be exploited…_

It’s not as if the bento’s shop location would be that much of a coincidence; the house was designated for the chief of military operations in Matsue, and thus someone who would need to be carefully watched…

He’d go visit the shop himself tomorrow.

*

The fact that Miyoshi was looking down at his finished meal in thought disconcerted Sakuma. He was used to Miyoshi having answers ready and it didn’t bode well to see him having to reflect.

“What you need to understand,” Miyoshi finally said, but a little too carefully for Sakuma’s liking, “is that it’s no longer a matter of who is part of it or not. If you become too relaxed around anyone, you might reveal something you should not, and it might reach the target’s ears. So no matter the person you’re dealing with, you must keep a tight leash on your disguise.”

It made sense, and Sakuma wasn't childish enough to retort that he hadn't been planning to do that to begin with.

Nonetheless, Miyoshi hadn’t really replied to his question. Was he simply thinking the answer was too obvious to need to be said outright?

“Now, let’s focus on more pressing matters,” Miyoshi continued.

Was he moving on because there was nothing else Miyoshi thought needed to be said, or was he changing the subject?

Sakuma could feel a headache coming along; he couldn't discern if he was simply interpreting things incorrectly out of mistrust.

“Right,” he said, deciding allow himself to be led along, for now. “Kyoto. What was that about?”

“Nothing grave. I want to put it off until I can verify the chances of the target’s subjects listening in.”

“If there weren’t any listening devices here, why would one be there?”

“...I think I’ll let you work that one out for yourself, without any more hints,” Miyoshi said. “Suffice to say I want the others to confirm the situation so we can go prepared.”

“Fine.”

“Fine?” Miyoshi echoed questioningly. “I expected you to be tenser at the thought they might spy on us.”

Sakuma shrugged. “I don’t like to think they might, but in any case it’ll be for one night. I think I can at the very least handle something like a...goodnight kiss and some pretend fondness.”

Except if Miyoshi had assumed he’d be tense...was there something he was missing? No, it could be that Miyoshi simply assumed he’d have a negative reaction to anything given that was how he’d been acting so far.

Yes, that had to be it because, without missing a beat, Miyoshi was already moving on.

“With that settled, simply continue to insist you aren’t ready to go there until I tell you otherwise. It shouldn’t take long. Now let’s finish today by practicing some signals to use between us.”

“Sure-hold on. ‘Lets finish today’? You mean that will be it?”

“Hm? What else were you hoping for?”

“Not _hoping_ for it.” Sakuma scowled. “But certainly expecting more instructions. Tomorrow I’m to walk into the military base and take over a job I’ve had no training for, and with no idea of where to begin looking for clues.”

Miyoshi chuckled. “Everyone is aware you are supposedly here as a mere figurehead to give the place a semblance of control while a proper replacement is chosen. No one expects you to know your way through the documents. Simply signing pertinent paperwork is all they’ll demand of you. And what is pertinent will be decided by your seasoned subordinates. From the start this was never a serious position; the underlings did all the work.”

“But what if they use this chance have documents passed that one wouldn't normally allow?”

“They’ll be blamed for it later. And you don't have the authority to sign off anything truly vital, so it’s not as if they can hinder the war efforts through your misplaced signature. Outside Matsue affairs, it will have no validity.”

“But what if they masquerade it as something for Matsue only? We’re assuming there’s illegal smuggling of _something_ happening. Suppose they ask me to allow a certain cargo ship to come here and I, in my ignorance, don't realize the timing or type of ship is suspicious and thus let the smuggling continue under my nose.”

“ _Finally_ ,” Miyoshi said, sounding almost pleased. “I was starting to think the trip to the bento shop had a negative effect on your mental faculties. Yes, it is highly likely that such a thing could occur. In fact, it could have easily happened during Noriaki’s time and something made him realize something was wrong.”

“Then how will I know what to be wary of?”

“You won’t. Again, as far as anyone is concerned, you are here as a stand-in, not a detective. It’s not for you to question what you’re given.”

“But-” Sakuma began, then sighed and gave up. “Nevermind, I’ll figure it out myself. So if I see or hear anything suspicious I just...pretend I didn’t see it and report back to youit.”

“And only report back when it won’t be suspicious of your character to do so.”

_But what if I find out something urgent?_ Sakuma wanted to ask, but judging by Miyoshi’s attitude it’s clear he doesn’t expect Sakuma to find any. Likely he thought Sakuma incapable of-

No, maybe not. Sakuma had to reign in the initial image he’d formed of Miyoshi with reality. If Miyoshi was underestimating him, he had yet to blatantly show it, so for now it would be unfair to get angry over it.

“Fine. The signals?”

“Good. We’ll start with five. You will learn and memorize them within the next hour.”

*

Rarely had Sakuma been so reluctant to go to bed while so tired, yet he took to the stairs with trepidation.

It wasn’t the interior that he was wary of, but whatever test Miyoshi would put him through now. The night they spent together in his apartment yet again replayed in his mind.

In a way, he was almost glad he feared Miyoshi at the same time that he loathed being in such danger; it meant he could almost fully curb any warped interest in what Miyoshi might have planned for the sake of his own survival.

After what seemed like too soon, Sakuma reached the top of the staircase with Miyoshi just behind him.

To his extreme exasperation, he was met with a western door, and opened it to find himself in a corridor of wooden floorboards instead of tatami, walls in pace of shoji sliders and more western doors. Hiiro had warned him the second floor would be like this, but the discrepancy irked him nonetheless.

“What’s wrong?” Miyoshi said from behind him, clearly well aware of why Sakuma had stopped walking and amused by it. “As patriotic as you are, considering you’re fine with an apartment with a western bathroom, I didn’t think you’d mind this too much.”

“I don’t care about decor or architecture,” Sakuma snapped, “It’s just that the disparity between the first floor and this one are too much.”

“You heard the man earlier, he simply had no time to finish.”

“Is this really all paranoia? He has that board game. Maybe the Captain simply liked western things.”

“Move again and you’ll see.”

Curious at the answer, Sakuma did as told.

He stepped onto the wooden floor and the floorboard creaked under his feet. He took a few more paces and found every step elicited sounds from the ground, and they kept getting worse.

He stopped walking again, staring at his feet uncomprehending.

“...Did he and his carpenters not know enough to place the floorboards properly?” Which didn’t make much sense since surely any mediocre carpenter could make wooden floors. And the creaking was different, somehow. It almost sounded like chirping...

Unless...well, the man was paranoid after all...

He stared harder and spoke before Miyoshi could answer him.

“Did he have... _uguisubari_ installed?”

Since the corridor wasn’t wide enough for both he and Miyoshi to walk side by side, Sakuma had to turn to look at Miyoshi for confirmation.

“You must admit,” Miyoshi said with mirth, “it certainly is a decent idea to have a nightingale floor if one is beside himself with fear of intruders.”

Sakuma looked down at the floor again, dry mouthed.

“How does someone who has descended into this level of fear fear simply not-” he stopped before he could go on.

What was he about to say? That he didn’t understand why the Captain hadn’t simply fled? Only recently would he have died for his country before so much as considering fleeing danger. And who was he to question his resolution to remain, when Sakuma was doing the same? For the sake of his country, but also pride and fear of what he’d have to deal with if he abandoned his position...perhaps the late Captain had simply reasoned he could weather the storm if he protected himself enough. Or hadn’t thought at all, and had simply been a true patriot.

Yet it hadn’t been enough. So what did that say about Sakuma’s own chances of coming out of this mission intact, when his position was much more precarious?

He swallowed thickly. “How does a man this prepared get killed so easily?”

Miyoshi didn’t comment on the change of question. “Oh, it’s very simple really. Simpler, in some situations, than if he hadn’t been like this.”

“How so?”

“This man would be watching left and right for someone following him. Have him realize he is being followed, but in a way where he didn’t realize it was on purpose. With that, being so fearful, the Captain would have likely attempted to shake the person off by changing his planned route. Now, someone this paranoid would quickly grow wary of being murdered by someone in the crowd. He’d likely try to walk into the nearest deserted alley he could in an attempt to wait for then attack his pursuer when he came close. Simply have someone else stationed at all possible alleyways and kill him when he walked into it.”

Miyoshi shrugged. “Or, if one wanted to avoid the hassle of having to transport his lifeless body unseen back to the hotel room, they could simply steal or borrow a spare key to the hotel room he was staying in and lie in wait for when he arrived at the designated room. There is a limit to how much the Captain could have prepared himself.”

“...But since we have no information to divulge and it would be too suspicious to have us die in the same situation he did, we won’t have to fear someone lying in wait for is in Kyoto, I suppose,” Sakuma ventured.

“Yes.”

One less worry, at least. “And if I notice that I am being followed, I shouldn’t try to escape to emptier places.”

“Oh yes, if _you_ manage to notice someone tailing you, it’s because they wanted you to notice.”

Sakuma was too tired to try and defend himself. Miyoshi was likely right, anyway. He needed rest.

“Which door is the bedroom?”

“There are two of them, we’ll be using the one that is the next door to the right.”

“Understood.”

“Oh? No complaints about having to share a room with me when there are two rooms available?”

“I’m not that stupid,” Sakuma said with a sigh. “If someone decides to start watching this house and sees the light of two bedrooms on at night it’ll be suspicious.”

“Yes, well done,” Miyoshi said, not sounding at all condescending, which lifted Sakuma’s spirits a little.

He walked to the door ignoring the chirping under him, opened it and walked inside. There was nothing strange about it; it was spacious (which was no surprise considering the house was usually designated for high personnel only), and the walls were lined with closets and a cupboard.

“Here,” Miyoshi said, opening one and taking out two futons, motioning for Sakuma to take one from him. “I’ll stay at this side, so you can take the other side of the room.”

Holding his futon, Sakuma blinked trying to understand. “The other…? We’re not sleeping...close together?’

Miyoshi took one look at Sakuma’s expression and raised an eyebrow. “If you can’t curb your blatant happiness over this, I will change my mind.”

Sakuma immediately tried to close off his face, focusing on keeping his expression blank and serious as he would when faced with his bosses. “I thought that, since you even wanted that in my apartment-”

“That was simply for training purposes. You’ve had enough of it for today so I didn’t see the need for it. Although…” Miyoshi’s smile was too sharp, and he took a step towards Sakuma, entering his personal space to the point the futons were being squashed between them. “You speak and act as if expecting me to take advantage of you at any moment. Are you mistaking Miyoshi for Mio and assuming I am also lusting after your body?”

Sakuma visibly stiffened and didn’t hesitate to step back to regain distance between them.

It was the wrong way to react, apparently, because Miyoshi moved along with him and, unknown to Sakuma, stuck a leg out and _kicked_ , making him trip and fall.

Sakuma barely hit the ground and was already pushing himself off it, but the same leg that had tripped him was placed on his chest, pushing his down.

Sakuma refrained from scowling as he placed his hands on either side of him to ensure Miyoshi could not push him all the way to lying down on the floor.

He _could_ use all his strength to push against it and sit up. Better yet, simply grab the offending leg and twist, pull or push it out of the way, but he knew better than to antagonize Miyoshi that much.

So he settled for using his strength to keep him midway between sitting and lying down and looked up.

Miyoshi was looking down at him with a look of unabashed glee at their positions. Sakuma despised it immediately and it took every ounce of self control to not change his mind and pull Miyoshi down to his level.

“Not trying to dislodge me?” Miyoshi almost purred. “Ah, I suppose a military man would know all about submission.”

Sakuma’s face twisted, and he didn’t hide it. He hated that suggestion. _Loathed_ it with all his might, to the point he could feel his skin crawl. To submit to someone else in such a form, to let them have that twisted power of him was too much.

“ _You’ve crossed the line_.”

*

_Clearly,_ Miyoshi thought, seeing the way Sakuma’s face contorted. He knew he’d would try to do something with him now, so it was with mild interest that Miyoshi watched Sakuma speak before actually lunging at him.

“I thought letting you do as you pleased would be better than facing your wrath, but if you’ll stand there and suggest such things, consequences be damned-”

_Let him have this, it was your mistake. Let it appease him to throw you down._

_No, keep him in line._

“Are you _sure_ you’re willing to risk it?” Miyoshi asked as Sakuma’s hands wrapped around his ankle and leg, and let the threat stand out clearly in his words.

*

Sakuma froze, pride fighting with self preservation. He should simply let this go, let Miyoshi have his minute of superiority to appease him. It wouldn’t be the first, or the last, time Sakuma would have to let a superior have his way.

_Except Miyoshi isn't my boss._

_But he’s my upperclassman. And he’ll punish me for striking out._

_...And?_

In a split second of clarity Sakuma realized something: it didn't matter. It didn’t matter if he bothered Miyoshi over this, because he’d be getting the brunt of his fury later anyway, when he found out he’d been tricked.

And something told him Miyoshi wouldn’t really be that angry over this.

He didn’t wait another second. Sakuma grabbed the leg and pulled it along as he stood up.

For one glorious moment he had the chance to watch the offending smile be wiped off Miyoshi’s face and his eyes widen marginally as he was caught by surprise and actually fell on his back.

Sakuma’s smugness lasted less than a minute.

As soon as Miyoshi sprawled on the ground, the pain of being kicked again, but harder, shot through Sakuma’s lower calf and he once more went tumbling down, this time forward.

He would have landed over Miyoshi, but the man wasn't done with him and actually forced his fall sideways by punching him in the gut.

Hitting the ground, Sakuma blinked at the ceiling for a moment to wrap his head around what had just happened, then chuckled.

“You don’t go down easily,” Sakuma said in open admiration as he felt his stomach and leg throb. He didn’t mind the pain; he was more than used to it.

“I usually _don’t_ go down,” Miyoshi snapped from next to him. Sakuma finally turned to face him; Miyoshi was sitting down with the air of someone that was doing so by choice and certainly not because he’d been thrown down. The posture was ruined by his slightly mussed hair. Sakuma nearly laughed again, and made no move to sit up.

“So,” Miyoshi said steely, abruptly ending Sakuma’s amusement. “You chose pride.”

Sakuma shrugged. “I didn’t see a reason to let you humiliate me further.” He frowned, realizing something important. “I let go of your leg when I fell. If I hadn’t, it would have been pulled-”

“I’m flexible,” Miyoshi interrupted impatiently. “Even if you had fallen on top of me with my leg over your shoulder it wouldn’t have hurt.”

It took Sakuma’s every ounce of strength not to flinch at the mental imagery that brought up, and he turned his eyes back to the ceiling for fear they’d give too much away.

He heard Miyoshi shift closer, and soon there was a hand under his chin, forcing his face to turn back to Miyoshi’s.

“You should be worrying about yourself,” Miyoshi pointed out.

Sakuma blinked. The pain in his stomach and and leg had already disappeared. It would probably barely even bruise.

He decided to call Miyoshi’s bluff. Carefully.

“Surely you wouldn’t hurt me over so little,” he said brazenly. “If anything, you should be happy I’ve changed my opinion of you this much.”

“Oh, _should_ I?” Miyoshi’s eyes flashed but he was smiling slightly. “Not wanting you to ruin this mission out of fear for your death doesn’t mean I’ll welcome disobedience and disrespect.”

“I respect you, which is why I know you’ll use good judgment not to give me undue punishment.”

Miyoshi laughed. “You’re becoming quite cheeky. And the disobedience?”

“You never ordered me stay as I was.”

“That was implied.”

“Was it? I thought you were offering me your leg so I practice taking down an attacker. Pardon me, I misunderstood due to my lack of training.”

“Such impudence from someone that just earlier today feared for his life,” Miyoshi said, in mock admonish in between chuckles. “I’m glad none of the others are here to see this failure of mine. I’ll discipline you thoroughly before the others find out.”

“...That sounds ominous,” Sakuma said, thinking that Miyoshi should really stop using such misleading wording. Then again, he was likely doing it on purpose. More surprisingly, the implication made his skin crawl, but less so than he would have expected.

“Don't complain. At least I’m not Jitsui. Though it remains to be seen if you didn't pick him out of luck of a hidden acute sense of self preservation.”

“Why?”

“He enjoys enforcing submission through force. To put it mildly.”

“Mildly?”

“Now, let’s decide if you’ll get out of this one unscathed or not, shall we?”

“What do you want?”

“You never answered my question. Are you under the assumption that I’m simply using the mission as an excuse to have my way with you?”

“No,” Sakuma replied without needing to think. “I have no doubt that you don’t.”

And he could look Miyoshi steadily in the eye as he said it, because it was true. Had he thought Miyoshi even capable of the same inclinations as him, Sakuma would have long before considered revealing himself to avoid the inevitable backlash that would be Miyoshi’s wrath when he realized Sakuma had successfully lied to him for a prolonged period of time.

*

Miyoshi judged it to be true, going by Sakuma’s body language and steadiness as he replied. Certainly there were times when Sakuma spoke in a way that could be covering up a lie...if he had any practice. But not like this, not staring so certainly into Miyoshi’s face.

Which was surprising enough for Miyoshi to curb further questions. _Why_ wasn’t Sakuma at all suspicious of it? No matter how flawlessly Miyoshi was covering up that he was doing exactly that now, Sakuma’s homophobia and distaste over the spies’ lifestyle should have made him at the very least worried Miyoshi might like men. Or was that so low in his mind he couldn’t bare the thought of future comrades being like that? He hadn’t seemed that delusional…

_No matter. Not for now, at least_. He’d file this away as yet another piece in the puzzle that was Sakuma and mull over it later, when he had more time or information.

“Then don’t make such childish reactions over needing to practice for the mission.”

“They’re not childish,” Sakuma sputtered, finally sitting up, for which Miyoshi was glad; he was starting to look inviting lying there. “They’re normal!”

“So is stupidity, which doesn't make it any good.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to keep the situation morally-”

“I have no interest of hearing such a boring spiel from you,” Miyoshi interrupted with finality. “Let’s end this. I have a fitting punishment for you.”

He said the last part with an amused lilt and, as expected, saw Sakuma tense up.

_You’re still more afraid of me than you try to let on_ , he thought, and his hand reached out for Sakuma’s chin again. For a second, Miyoshi noticed Sakuma’s hand lift up impulsively to stop him, but he controlled it and bunched it into a fist.

Not really amused by the predictability of it, Miyoshi didn’t prolong it and simply used his hand to turn Sakuma’s head away from him and tilt it slightly, exposing his neck.

He didn’t wait to see if Sakuma would understand and leaned forward and pressed his lips firmly to the soft skin just above the collarbone.

Sakuma jolted, but not enough that it dislodged Miyoshi. His hands shot up and grabbed Miyoshi’s arms.

Miyoshi waited to see if Sakuma would be truly stupid enough to push him twice. He didn’t. It seemed Sakuma was managing to contain himself , though the hands holding him trembled with the effort.

_Good enough_ , Miyoshi decided, and finally started sucking on the skin beneath his lips. Sakuma’s hands tightened just short of painful but Miyoshi ignored them. He wasn’t gentle and in a few seconds he was already done, removing his lips and leaving an already darkening bruise on the skin.

Swearing assiduously, Sakuma’s hand shot from Miyoshi’s arm to rub over the mark.

Miyoshi shook his head in amusement. “It doesn’t even hurt. What’s the point of rubbing it?”

Sakuma didn’t stop doing it, but scowled and looked away from Miyoshi. He was so livid his face was flushing with rage.

“Why-” he began, before clearly realizing how stupid the question was and changing it. “Is this...did you leave a mark?”

_That_ was so unexpected Miyoshi jolted slightly.

“You...aren’t certain?” He asked, and nearly laughed at how incredulous that was. “You have an apartment dedicated to your trysts and yet you can’t tell for sure if sucking like that _will_ bruise?”

Sakuma closed his eyes and breathed in deeply as he, to Miyoshi’s delight, turned a pretty shade of scarlet. “I’m not…” he said, enunciating each word as it cost him dearly, “used to it being done to _me._ ”

“Really?” Miyoshi was a little disappointed. “What boring women did you have, that wouldn’t even do so little. Considering the whole setup, I expected your lovers to be audacious enough to do at least that much.”

Sakuma took another deep breath. “I didn’t...let any of them do it. It was a very clear rule.”

“Ah. Let me guess, you wanted to keep things private from your comrades?”

“Yes.”

Miyoshi supposed it wasn’t too strange: depending on his comrades, they might have been offended if Sakuma was taking off too often to play around. Still, it wasn’t an expected revelation. Not for the first time, he considered the possibility that something about Sakuma’s partners forced him to be overly cautious. Perhaps women already promised to someone or even married...

“If it’ll bruise, what if-” Sakuma began, and stopped, sighing. “Let me guess, it’s _supposed_ to be seen.”

“Only if you open your uniform; the high collar should normally hide it.” Judging by Sakuma’s face, he wouldn’t be opening his uniform anytime soon.

Sakuma cursed again, although it sounded more tired than angry now. “This is the problem,” he said. “It doesn't matter if you have twisted desires or not, in the end you’ll still do such things just to torment me.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong, this time.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Miyoshi said brightly, “As fun as it is watching you squirm over any minor thing, I don’t plan on doing anything more than this or kissing unless necessary for the mission.”

“Because you’d be...ah... ‘lower than a whore to offer such things freely’?”

“I’m glad your memory is intact. Yes: why would I do such things for someone who won’t appreciate, much less give me something in return?”

Sakuma stared at him. “Miyoshi, _are_ you a-”

“Why? Will you forfeit the mission and D-Agency if I like men?”

“...No, I’m just-”

“Then the knowledge is useless, as it changes nothing.” Sakuma made a complicated face as he said it, which Miyoshi ignored as he continued. “If you remain with us long enough, you’ll understand. We’re trained to push aside personal tastes and be able to fake like for anyone the mission might require. You’ll learn to use sex as a tool for gain soon enough.”

Sakuma said nothing, and Miyoshi decided there would be nothing else of interest to be said tonight, so he stood up and dusted himself, grabbing the futon that had fallen to the ground during the ordeal.

“I think this has gone on for long enough. I showered while you were gone so I’ll go to bed. You?”

“I’ll take a bath. Or two,” Sakuma muttered darkly, stood up and stomped to where his baggage was located, then stomped to the bathroom. Miyoshi could hear the floor singing shrilly as if it were next to him, thanks to the force with which Sakuma stepped on them. He snorted; Sakuma was acting like a child who wanted his parents to know he was angry but knew better than to actually retaliate.

_Honestly, his reactions are becoming too mercurial_. One minute a touch had him lashing out, the other he was pushing boundaries and even surprising Miyoshi. It was, clearly, due to whatever trauma Sakuma had that was being brought up by his situation. If, no, _when_ Miyoshi figured it out and dealt with it, Sakuma would settle into his real self. And it seemed that wasn’t the short fused and uptight Lieutenant, but the cheeky and more quick witted Sakuma, which Miyoshi preferred.

He settled down on his futon, not minding how long Sakuma was taking to shower; he had no doubt the man was being more thorough than necessary in an effort to psychologically scrub away what they’d done.

He smiled and closed his eyes; he’d have some interesting dreams tonight.

*

Sakuma sank into the lukewarm bathtub unsure of what to do. Not regarding how he should act from now on; attempting to keep his sexuality hidden remained the only possible path, but on how he’d should deal with...that night.

Considering how the day had gone, he knew he was in for another sleep filled with sexually charged dreams. Which left him to wonder if releasing the pent up emotions now would deter those or worsen them.

Well, there was only one way to find out, and having the excuse of a late night bath was the idea situation.

He closed his eyes and pictured with Miyoshi. His usual shame in using real people for such things had made an exception of him; he deserved to be used for shamelessness, the utter bastard.

...A bastard he was loathing less but becoming more exasperated by. A small part of him yelled that he really _was_ an idiot to soften his stance on Miyoshi and trust him somewhat despite everything. But the rest of him…

The rest of him was busy trying to break off his thoughts with the sensation of Miyoshi sucking his neck.

_Damn it_. It hadn’t even been sensual. Clearly he was only reacting because of how unused to the feeling he was.

He tried conjuring something else. His brain offered Miyoshi standing over him with a foot on his chest.

...He’d be _damned_ if he used _that_ as material for release. He didn’t like Miyoshi lording over him normally, and he refused to like it in his imagination as well. He was already shuddering at the thought. It didn’t matter if his head continued to conjure up the image; it was just focusing on the recent event that left the most impression on him.

But he also found he didn’t have the imagination to conjure what Miyoshi’s face would look like in that situation. Miyoshi always looked composed and while Sakuma wanted to see him lose that, he couldn’t think it up.

_Well, maybe…_

He thought of Miyoshi with his back to him...no, better yet: on all fours.

Miyoshi would likely kill him for imagining him in that position, but if there was thing he couldn’t do was read minds. Trying to imagine how it’d feel to fuck him from behind like that, Sakuma’s body responded but not as quickly as Sakuma would have expected.

While one hand worked on his cock, the other he bit down on to muffle any sound, even though he doubted Miyoshi would be abe to listen inf rom so far away.

He conjured the sensation of taking other lovers from behind like that, and adding to it his pent up frustration,s exual or no, with Miyoshi. And yet, it wasn't quite as overwhelming as he'd expect. Oh, he could feel himself reach the edge faster and faster as he pretended to thrust into the body in his mind, but he also had trouble truly immersing himself in the fantasy. Still, it did the job, and after a few minutes he sank deeper into the water, the edge of his tension having been released along with his pleasure, though he couldn't say he felt sated.

It wasn't right. More specifically, it wasn't complete; something was missing that made his subconscious shy away from the scene somewhat. Maybe his lack of imagination meant he couldn't truly enjoy using Miyoshi if he didn't know how he's act in reality.

But that he would never find out...unless it was for the mission. And he knew the moment he was forced into having sex with Miyoshi he would be revealed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nightingale floors, or uguisubari, were floors designed to make a chirping sound when walked upon. These floors were used in the hallways of some temples and palaces, the most famous example being Nijo Castle, in Kyoto, Japan.


End file.
